Climate and Biome of Northern Niji Continent
Preface
This overview of northern Niji continent concerns the land of /2434/ and nijimale, as well as the Petra half of Anya-Petra Global. Be noted that this is merely a speculation based on what I know of natural phenomena and climate, and people from relevant threads are free to change or reject anything that is listed here, especially when supernatural causes are involved.
Geology
According to the geologic province map, the majority of land in northern Niji continent belongs to the craton that comprises the eastern half of the continent, with nijimale mostly located on a shield and /2434/ a platform. Passive margin lines most of the coast, including the majority of Petra. There are no tectonically active plate boundaries within the region.
Climate
With its entirety located within 20 degrees latitude from the Equator, northern Niji continent is a fully tropical region. The entire territory of Petra, as long as its bordering regions in /2434/ and nijimale, are considered tropical rainforest climate, dominated by heavy rain and heat without noticeable seasons. In additional to a thin transitional zone south of the rainforest climate, the majority of /2434/ can also be considered to have a tropical monsoon climate due to the Niji monsoon. The main difference between tropical rainforest and monsoon climate is the existence of a dry season during its "winter" - although despite its name, the temperature remains relatively stable across the year, with precipitation being the main difference.
In the southern half of nijimale, as well as the southwestern edge of /2434/, the dry season becomes long or dry enough that it can be considered tropical savannah climate instead, although the difference is not as perceivable. At the highest points (about ~1500m above sea level) of nijimale, the temperature is lowered enough that the climate becomes more temperature, putting the area in subtropical highland climate. Similar to the surrounding lowland, the temperature does not change significantly across the year ("eternal spring", compared to the lowland's "eternal summer"), with difference in rainfall pattern being the most notable indicator of season.
Biome
Before the advent of civilisation, northern Niji continent was dominated by two major types of biomes. Petra, northern nijimale, and eastern /2434/ was likely dominated by tropical forests. The southern nijimale and the west coast of /2434/, due to its lower rainfall, cannot support the spawling rainforest anymore, and the woodland gradually thin out into patches of woodland separated by grass and shrubs, commonly known as savannah. In the subtropical highland, the lower temperature might allow forest to develop, potentially leading to the development of cloud forests.
The tropical forests can be further divided into two categories. Within tropical rainforest climate, the lack of dry season mean the forest will be doninated by evergreen trees. As it is always wet season, the eponymous tropical rainforests will have a well-developed canopy absorbing almost all sunlight, leaving the understorey a dark place. Because of that, tropical rainforest can be surprisingly traversible (relatively speaking), as the lack of sunlight prevents the growth of dense shrubs that would impede travel.
In the tropical monsoon climate, though, the pronounced dry season leads to the development of tropical mixed forests. Here, many of the trees will be deciduous in nature, shredding their leaves during the dry season to reduce water loss. This allows sunlight to reach understorey during said dry season, where fast-growing plants like liana seize the oppoturnity to develop before the wet season. As a result, seasonal tropical forest can be harder to penetrate due to the denser understorey.
The sheer amount of rainfall means many of the lowland area of the region will be waterlocked, turning them into wetland. This is especially notable in the coastal area, where mangrove forests dominate the intertidal zones and blur the boundary between land and sea.
Crops
With its ample sunlight and rain, northern Niji continent is most suited for growing rice. While labour-intensive and remarkably back-breaking, the relatively low nutritional value of rice is offset by its sheer productivity, likely achieving multiple harvests per year. Other major food crops that can be grown in the region include maize and cassava. In terms of minor food crops, cane sugar, tea, cacao, banana, pineapple, orange, coconut, and many types of spice can be cultivated here. Possible non-food crops include rubber, cotton, poppy, and tobacco.
The main challenges for agriculture in northern Niji continent will be the development and maintenance of robust irrigation system that can control water flow, especially in wet-and-dry climates where rainfall is concentrated in specific time of the year. Monsoon can bring the planet's heaviest rainfall to the land, necessitating the storage or draining of excessive water lest the farmland be flooded and destroyed. Similarly, additional water source might be necessary for farmland in this area to remain irrigated and productive during the dry season. Despite the vast greenery, tropical forest soil tend to be acidic and poor in nutrition after humus is depleted. As such, fertiliser and agricultural lime might be required to sustain intensive agriculture.
Mineral Resources
The majority of soil in northern Niji continent will be laterite with occasional patches of red soil due to significant weathering. While they can pose difficulties in agriculture, their high iron and aluminium content can be potentially valuable. Laterite ore and bog iron in the wetland can be a significant source of iron, especially before the development of more advanced mining technique.
Geologically, cratons are mostly made of igneous and metamorphic rocks formed in the distant past - shields refer to the relatively exposed baserock, while platform also include the sedimentary layer that covers it. For the shields, igneous rocks like granite and metamorphic rocks like greenschist, amphibolite, and some granulite, as well as greenstone belts can be found. For the platforms and passive margins, an additional layer of sedimentary rocks will be present, especially in the passive margin. The presence of shields means the region will have a decent supply of metal ores like gold, iron, lead-silver, and copper, although their concentration might not be as high as in orogens. The flatter terrain and presence of sedimentary strata might also require more advanced mining techniques to access the minerals.