We wouldn't think so, as there is little for them to set such a Clock by. As a general Rule, biological Clocks reset themselves against an outside Trigger on a regular basis, and since the underground Temperature and Humidity is stable any such Trigger should be trickable using Dwarfen Technology, particularly given their proven Ability to make Blueberries flower in Autumn. (In real Life, Blueberries are a Summer Fruit.)
One possibility is that what works in our world may not work in theirs, especially since they have their own fantastic internal set of rules to live by. The existence of cavern layers, the sub-cavern layers, the workings of gods, magic and sorcery - lots of things are remarkable in DF. That's before you come into the things which are similar to us... But not quite. Dwarves live in a flat world, where the length of time of day is the same at the poles as it is in the equator. Their seasons are dictated by forces not known to the Dwarves, and it could very well be that their stellar objects revolve around the world. But I also grant that "it's magic don't got to explain shit" doesn't satisfy that much.
That's why I think there are two possible, satisfying answers to this conundrum.
1. Blueberries in DF are similar, but not the same as our own. This goes the same for all surface crops - these worlds are edenic paradises of plenty.
or
1.1 The world is not an edenic paradise of plenty, but Dwarven farmers are just special. A good example of this would be how wild examples of fruits and plants are bound to obey the reasonable expectations of humans living in our world; things which don't like deserts, freezing cold or barren rock are not likely to be found there. But a Dwarven farmer tilling barren desert soil without a drop of rain or a river in sight can grow
anything. Dwarven farmers may just be exceptional, possessed of a unique Dwarven magic which connects them, their crops and the soil they use. This could be similar to the magic Dwarves use to generate mud ex nihilo.
2. Underground species have evolved to sprout and bloom in accordance with their own internal biological clock which is closely aligned to seasonal triggers, which
surprisingly can affect subterranean environments. There's infiltration from roots above, the influence of the day/night cycle on the entrances bridging surface and subterranean, and the exchange of verminous populations obeying this rythm alongside all the things reacting to the rhythm. Even in sections of cave where there is no sunlight at all, the creatures are not completely arythmic, seeking shelter in seasonal patterns by reacting to changes in humidity, food availability e.t.c.
If things like sweet pods or cave wheat are dependent on some surface vermin coming down in seasonal droves for pollination or just to act as the "trigger" that optimal conditions have been met, or if they are capable of detecting the subtle changes of humidity & temperature, this could explain it.
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Topic: A Challenging Question (Read 1927 times)