My EcoSphere, part 1 of 2

About five years ago, one of my stepsons got me an EcoSphere as a Hanukah present. It is a really neat novelty item, endlessly fascinating and while I am on my second one, the thing lasts for years. The EcoSphere looks like this:
It is an enclosed glass sphere with a branch-like thing, some algae and some tiny shrimp swimming around. How do they breath, you ask. The reason it is called an EcoSphere is because it is an entire ecosystem, completely balanced. Here is how it works:

When I was constructing the ecosystem for my fictional world of Deucado, I used the EcoSphere as my inspiration to keep the number of animals and plants to a minimum, mostly because I am lazy. Here is how I worked it into the story:

     Not quite believing what he had just witnessed, Rei contacted MINIMCOM with his EM link and did his best to explain Rome’s encounter with the ‘falling blankets’. The starship accepted his word but it was clear from his tone that he was somewhat skeptical.
     As each ‘blanket’ fell from the trees it curled into a cylinder, pointing to the next. The trail that was formed was easy to follow. Rei didn’t even bother to use his sonar vision at first as the ‘blankets’ appeared to know exactly what they were doing. As Rei and Rome went through deeper and denser portions of the forest, the canopy of vegetation overhead was so thick, it made it dark, like night. Rome was able to use her infrared vision to walk while Rei was forced to use his sonar vision to navigate his way among the trees.
     At one point, they came to one of the little creeks they noted from the air. The blanket trail stopped there. Rome stooped down and touched the blanket closest to the water.
     “They do not like to cross the water unless they have to,” Rome said.
     “So what do we do?”
     “We wait,” Rome replied. “More will come.” She turned and looked across the stream and saw a series of blankets wriggling out of the woods. “There,” Rome said. “They are on their way.”
     Rei watched as another group of blankets lined up to form a path that led into the woods on the other side of the creek.
     “OK,” Rei said. “We cross but I need a drink first.”

Tomorrow, part 2 so you can see how I used the EcoSphere as my inspiration for the ecosystem of Deucado.