Brine River

Brine river is a large, undersea valley that contains incredibly salty water that's toxic for most. The river is home to a variety of species which are adapted to the depths and the salinity. Because of its size and its span, the brine river is classified as its own biome.

Geography

This massive river spans 130 miles, north to south, with a maximum width of 3km. The water surrounding the river is generally gloomy and foggy, with a green mist present in the water, the same colour as the river. Small lakes divert from the river, made of the same saline consistency as the river. Few plant life exists around this river, but the ones that do are adapted to the salt level. The brine itself is incredibly toxic, and can harm animals and plants that go in and near it.

Thermal Vents

Several large thermal vents exist along the sides of the river, which heat up the dark environments and attracts life. These vents are caused at conservative plate margins, when two plates move past each other and tiny rock pieces break away, which reveals the magma and it slowly rises, forming these tiny volcanoes. They don't erupt, but instead heat up the environment with boiling gases.

Skeletal Remains

Lots of skeletons of creatures line the riverbed, creatures that have died from the toxicity. The salt from the brine river helps speed up the fossilisation process of these bones, causing the riverbed to be lined with fossils, and a constant pile of new bones of creatures that underestimated the river's toxicity.

Ecosystem

Brine river hosts a small range of creatures. A fair few mushroom and fungi species live in and around the brine river, absorbing the salts from the river to keep them alive. Some fish species have learnt to absorb the salt from their scales, which creates a hard armour that other predators find hard to bite through.

Fauna & Flora

Animals

Brine Fish

Brine fish are a species of fish that have a layer of hardened salt on their scales. This helps them keep safe from predators as they are too difficult to bite through, and they taste disgusting. However, some people like to catch and cook them because the salt brings out flavours in the fish.

Wolfdog

Wolfdogs are neither a wolf, nor a dog. Instead they are a predatory reptile that swims fast along the seabed near the brine river, in large packs with a wolf-like hierarchy. They prey on large herbivorous creatures in their packs and are the apex predators around the brine river.

Fungi

Shield Shroom

Shield shrooms are a species of underwater fungi that grows in large clumps. Their tough caps protect them from herbivores that try and eat them. These bright purple fungi are very poisonous, and should not be consumed.

Location under

Ocearia

Inhabiting Species

• Brine Fish
• Brinecrawler
• Shield Shroom
• Wolfdog