Biome

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

There are several different biomes in Oxygen Not Included. Each contains different resources, creatures, 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).

Default Biomes Contents

Biome	Location	Metal	Rock	Other Solids	Liquid	Gases	Life	Border
Temperate (Spawning area)	Spawning area		Sandstone		Water	OxygenCarbon Dioxide	Shinebug Bluff Briar
Swamp	Near Spawn, Far downwards			Steam Geyser		Polluted OxygenCarbon Dioxide
Caustic	Near Spawn, Far downwards			Steam GeyserChlorine Geyser	None	ChlorineHydrogen
Frozen	Far upwards				None	OxygenCarbon Dioxide
Oil	Far downwards					Carbon DioxideNatural Gas
Volcanic	Bottom	None	None			None	None
Space	Upmost	None			None	None	None	No-Go Zone

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.
Steam Geysers 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.

Helicona Biomes Contents

Biome	Metal	Rock	Other Solids	Liquid	Gases	Life
Temperate (Spawning area)		Sandstone		Water	OxygenCarbon Dioxide	Shinebug Bluff Briar
Frozen				None	OxygenCarbon Dioxide
Volcanic	None	None			None	None
Electrum				None	Vacuum	None
Space	None		None	None	Vacuum	None
Void	None	None		None	None	None

Biome Descriptions

Temperate Biome

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

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. You can find more Algae here, useful if you still need it for Oxygen generation, and all that Slime can be converted to Algae, too. 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 Raw Metal. Dusk Caps and Thimble Reed grow here, the latter of which is crucial for the production of Clothes.

Caustic Biome

This biome is even warmer than the Swamp Biome, and here you can find Pincha Pepper plants that produce Pincha Peppernut for your Cooking Station, as well as Balm Lilies which can be used to make Vitamin Chews. The Chlorine and Hydrogen gases in the cavities here are unbreathable. The Bleach Stone found here is useful to keep your 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 Raw Metals). 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.

Frozen Biome

In this biome, Duplicants will become stricken with Hypothermia if not wearing a Warm Sweater 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's Carbon Dioxide and some Oxygen. You can find Sleet Wheat and Wheezewort (plants) here. Frozen Biomes are not generated directly next to Temperate (starting) Biomes as of a recent update.

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, Obsidian and Iron Ore and pockets of Natural Gas and Carbon Dioxide. It is inhabited by Slicksters.

Volcanic Biome

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

Electrum Biome

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

Space Biome

The space biome can destroy all kinds of liquids and gases. 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 and Sand in item form and Regolith in block form.
Gases 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 walls helps to construct rooms that can hold air.

File:Biomes.jpg

Example of default layout of biomes. (the full map is much taller, this image only contains a part of it)

File:Helicona1.png

Example of Helicona 1 layout of biomes. (the full map is a bit taller, this image contains most of it)

File:Helicona2.png

Example of Helicona 2 layout of biomes. (this is the full map of Helicona 2 world)