On Dwarves... Part Four : Dwarven Diets

[O Senhor Leetz]

An interesting idea would be to have a setting based around dwarves who evolved and became what they are in caverns underground without outside influence. Digging tunnels would pretty much be like exploring the surface of their world. Those tunnels would then be converted into whatever they needed the space for. Maybe they'd even try to dig their way to heaven or some surface promised land from legends, if you change the origin a bit.

or dig down towards heaven.

[Ninja D!]

or dig down towards heaven.

That's even better. On an Earth-like planet with a molten core that would unknowingly turn them into a suicide cult.

[O Senhor Leetz]

Or maybe heaven really does sit in the center of the world.

[Xeviat]

In my setting, my dwarves evolved from badgers. As such, they are chiefly carnivorous. Before humans taught them agriculture, they hunted game and raised some livestock. With the advent of agriculture, they began to grow grain to feed their livestock. Farmers are the lowest caste among Dwarves; they live on or near the surface, tending to step farms on the mountain and hill sides. They, in turn, sell their grain to the more affluent Dwarven families who live deep in the earth. In older settlements, families have specialized their production, but smaller settlements still possess largely self sufficient families (aside from the need for grain). Dwarven livestock has been bred to live in the dwarves' subterranean homes. They also raise goat-like animals on the surface, which graze in regions which grow grass but not more demanding grains.

In theory, this puts a smaller upper limit on Dwarven population than humans, based on farmable land. If a settlement of humans and one of dwarves each can produce X pounds of grain in a season, humans are able to eat some of that grain and feed the rest to their livestock, letting something under X pounds of food. Dwarves have to feed all of their grain to their livestock; from what I remember, efficient livestock like chicken and pigs still net something like 1 pound of meat for every 4 pounds of grain put into them. If dwarves are similar in mass and metabolism to humans, then their population seems like it should be 1/4th that of humans, even though they can live in tighter areas since they expand down.

As a side note, I looked up some information on carnivore digestion. Apparently, primary carnivores (like cats) don't need fiber in their diet because they have short intestinal tracts. That could explain Dwarven height.

[Abryxia]

I love Dwarves!!! I usually explain this in my own setting by having them keep pens of moles/ground hogs. They also eat insects in large quantity, by farming and or gathering them. Further, fungus is a viable food source, mushrooms can be grown in caverns. Mosses and lichen are some of the most nutritious food stuffs on the planet. Add underground streams and lakes, and you start to really get a plethora of vegetation, and the added bonus of fish/snakes/ and other water dwelling creatures.

Love Dwarves. Love your entries, I know i'm late, but I couldn't help but post to this one.

[LoA]

In my setting, my dwarves evolved from badgers. As such, they are chiefly carnivorous.

So are the dwarves in your setting anthropomorphic badgers? That sounds really interesting.