I recently finished sorting the samples for my Masters experiment! The project is investigating how dispersal rate and synchronicity of disturbance across the landscape influence biodiversity and community resilience to disturbance. This is a photo of the experimental landscapes I established with different levels of connectivity and different disturbance regimes:
It took five months to sort the 120 samples. We counted 29,912 microarthropods (mites and springtails) in total. I will post more information on how many species we found as I analyze the data. I would like to thank Rebecca Taves and Pamela Matute for all their help sorting the samples and Youhua Chen and Jiichiro Yoshimoto for their help with the field aspects of the study.
In celebration of this accomplishment, I would like to share a video I created with my friend Gabriel Collins that showcases some of the mites and springtails I was working with. It is an abstract piece set to a soundscape we generated using objects around the house. I think it captures the beauty of these mysterious creatures and the great expansiveness of the time I spent admiring them under the microscope.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MdKZ4s6nx8&feature=youtu.be]
-Gennifer Meldrum, June 1, 2011
Wow. Awesome job Genn!
Hats-off for the song selection.Very Biophilia-like! 🙂
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it! Of course you can put it on the website.
-Genn
Hello Genn!
I looooove this! It has the feeling of something a little old, and reminds me of Blade Runner. Really cool! I guess you wouldn’t mind if I put it somewhere more prominent on our webpage?
Alathea