Biome

This article has not been revised for the current version (U51-600112). It was last updated for LU-356355. It may contain inaccuracies.

Biomes are regions in Oxygen Not Included. There are 11 different biomes in the game. Each contains different resources, critters, and plants, and are mostly separated by veins of Abyssalite. Although each biome has a color shading applied to it that stays after the biome is mined out, there are no special properties beyond the contents of the biomes (so, for example, the Frozen biome does not cool itself, only starting out cold and cooling through Wheezeworts, which can be removed).

Each Asteroid Type contains 8 Biomes, with the exception of Rime Asteroid which contains 10 Biomes.

Biomes Contents

Biome	Default Temp. Range	Metal	Liquid	Gases	Plants and Critters	Border
Temperate	Room 19.85 ↔ 24.85 °C
Forest	Room 19.85 ↔ 24.85 °C
Swamp	Human Warm 24.85 ↔ 39.85 °C
Caustic	Human Hot 39.85 ↔ 49.85 °C		None
Frozen	Cold -46.15 ↔ -16.15 °C		None
Rust	Cool -16.15 ↔ 6.85 °C
Tide Pool	Human Warm 24.85 ↔ 39.85 °C	None
Barren	Human Warm 24.85 ↔ 39.85 °C		None	None	None
Oil	Hot 49.85 ↔ 99.85 °C
Volcanic	Extremely Hot 1226.85 ↔ 1526.85 °C	None		None	None
Space	varies with height		None	None		No-Go Zone

The location of each Biome varies depending on the Asteroid Type. See corresponding Asteroid Type for more details.

The above table shows only what is primarily generated in these biomes; there are some exceptions:

Small pockets containing Vacuum and a little Water and Steam may appear in Swamp biomes.
Small pockets of Sand, Sandstone, and Igneous Rock may appear in Swamp, Caustic, and Frozen biomes.
An Oxylite and Abyssalite spiral may generate outside of the Temperate Biome.
Ruins usually contain Oxygen and Water.
Cool Steam Vents will produce Steam and Water, and are generated with some Oxygen around them.
Natural Gas Geysers will produce Natural Gas.
Morbs will produce Polluted Oxygen.
Very small amounts of Petroleum may be in the Oil biome, if the temperature is high enough to convert the Crude Oil.
Frozen biomes will melt when heated, often leaking Water and Polluted Water into nearby biomes.
Pockets of vacuum can appear in the oil biome, some with Slicksters too.
If the asteroid has Irregular Oil trait during world generation, the Oil Biome may appear anywhere in the map.

Biome Descriptions

Temperate Biome

The Temperate Biome is the place where Duplicants start. It contains clean Water, Dirt, Sandstone, Sand, Coal, Algae, and Copper Ore (which provides a small decor boost). The Muckroot, Mealwood and Bristle Blossom plants growing naturally here will provide food until other Food options are researched. The player is guaranteed to start with at least five accessible tiles of Oxylite, which should produce sufficient Oxygen for the Duplicants to survive until Oxygen generation structures have been researched. Algae found here will last for about 20 or more cycles after that. Shine Bugs and Hatches can be found in this biome. The Temperate biome is bordered by a mixture of Granite and Igneous Rock, and is located in the center of the map, surrounded by the other biomes.

Forest Biome

The Forest Biome is an alternative start location. It contains Igneous Rock, Aluminum Ore, Dirt and limited Water. The Hexalent, Mealwood, Arbor Trees can be found here. Oxyfern provides Oxygen in early game. Pips live in this biome.

Swamp Biome

Swamps are warmer and have cavities full of Polluted Oxygen, often under high pressure. Pools of Polluted Water and dug up Slime will add even more Polluted Oxygen. Players can find more Algae here, useful if its still needed for Oxygen generation. The Slime can be converted to Algae as well. The primary rock is Sedimentary Rock, which can be mined quickly due to its low hardness. The Gold Amalgam found here is the most heat-resistant Metal Ore. Dusk Caps and Thimble Reed grow here, the latter of which is crucial for the production of Clothes.

Mining swamps can take a long time, due to the slime, which contains Slimelung disease, that harms duplicant productivity. Pufts and Pacus can also be found in this biome.

Caustic Biome

This biome is even warmer than the Swamp Biome, and here the player can find Pincha Pepper plants that produce Pincha Peppernut for the Gas Range, as well as Balm Lilies which can be used to make Medical Packs. The Chlorine and Hydrogen gases in the cavities here are unbreathable. The Bleach Stone found here is useful to keep the Duplicants happy with a Hand Sanitizer, and Phosphorite is used as a fertilizer for Pincha Pepper. Caustic biomes often have large veins of Coal, Igneous Rock, Algae, and Iron Ore (which has no special properties compared to other Metal Ores). Morbs can be found here as well. In one caustic biome, there will be either a single Chlorine Geyser, the only renewable source of Chlorine, or a second Natural Gas Geyser. Dreckos are often found in this biome near Balm Lily and Pincha Peppernut plants, they can be alternative source of Reed Fiber.

Frozen Biome

In this biome, Hypothermia can strike Duplicants without Warm Sweaters (which can be made in a Textile Factory). The temperature ranges from -20 to -40 °C. It contains large amounts of liquifiable Ice, Polluted Ice, and Snow, as well as veins of Granite and Wolframite (both notable for their excellent Heat transfer abilities). For gases, there is Carbon Dioxide and some Oxygen. Players can find Sleet Wheat and Wheezewort plants here. Frozen Biomes are not generated directly next to starting biomes.

Anti Entropy Thermo-Nullifiers found in Frozen Biome can help cooling the base.

Rust Biome

Rust Biome contains Rust, Salt, Mafic Rock, Iron Ore. Nosh Sprout and Dasha Saltvine grow here.

Rust and Salt are alternative Oxygen sources when water electrolysis is not feasible.

Tide Pool Biome

Tide Pool Biome contains Salt Water, Brine, Salt, Sand, Sedimentary Rock, Granite. Waterweed grows here. Pokeshell lives in Salt Water pools.

Oil Biome

It is located right above the volcanic biome. The temperature is ~80 °C (on the top) and up to 380 °C (on the bottom). It contains Crude Oil, Oil Reservoirs, veins of Diamond, Granite, Lead and Iron Ore and pockets of Natural Gas and Carbon Dioxide. It is inhabited by Slicksters.

If the asteroid has Irregular Oil trait during world generation, the Oil Biome may appear anywhere in the map.

Volcanic Biome

Volcanic biome appears at the very bottom of the map. It only contains liquid Magma (about 1600 °C), Obsidian and Neutronium which can't be destroyed.

Space Biome

The surface of asteroid. It contains Mafic Rock, Regolith and Granite in the upper layers, and Igneous Rock can be found in the lower layers.

Meteor Showers can randomly happen and bring refined Iron, Copper Ore, and Gold Amalgam in item form and Regolith in block form.

Gases and liquids are sucked into the vacuum of space through the open background, and in the absence of gases heat can not dissipate from materials and objects. Adding Drywalls helps to construct rooms that can hold air and liquid.

Barren Biome

This biome is filled with generic rocks, and lacks any features.

Electrum Biome

Electrum Biome is no longer used in current game as of Launch Update.

Electrum biome appeared on the top of the map in the first Helicona preset and in the second preset, it appeared as world border. It contained huge pockets of Electrum and Vacuum. In Helicona 2 preset there occurs Iron Ore and Copper Ore is not completely surrounded by Neutronium.

Gallery

Volcanic Biome
Oil Biome
Swamp Biome
Caustic Biome
Electrum Biome