Proliferation of Modern Ecosystems in the Nightlight Zone

The ground splits again, releasing a cycle of toxic chemicals for the plants to routinely feed on through chemosynthesis. The chemicals concentrated over the top left corner of the realm creates the Kelp Forests. Later, smaller animals start to populate their respective environments, adapting to various environmental niches. The Gatekeepers also begin bringing animals from the surface to recycle the ecosystems.

Although the land has been kept mostly stable for millennia, it occasionally threatened to break apart again, resulting in the quakes that have been witnessed inside the realm. Quake activity formed the first geothermal vents that can now be found everywhere, which spew more chemicals into the water for plants to absorb and grow. A high concentration of these chemicals formed over what is now the Kelp Forests, prompting plants to grow over nearly every surface, and especially large plants to grow where they are seen no where else.

After plants arrived, animals low on the food web began feeding on them, and formed the basis for the Nightlight Zone's ecosystems. They operated much like the real world ecosystems do, yet the creatures were given abilities that are not possible in the real world. Certain types of scorpion excrete acidic brine from their mouths, other arthropods can paralyze their victims by sending out vibrations, and some fish have a neural link with their immediate family members.

Soon, the Watchers noticed a problem. Their ecosystems had no decomposers, which meant detritus continuously built up inside the Nightlight Zone. The Gatekeepers then started being used to transport bacteria and animals from the real world oceans into the Nightlight Zone, but only enough to not leave a significant impact on the real world ecosystems. The bacteria and the nutrients from the animals' bodies were able to recycle the ecosystem only once, and the Gatekeepers were left on a routine to bring more.