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Open Lands - The Soil Is Alive
Soil Creatures
Sharon has been commissioned by Openlands to create a series of ten cast bronze reliefs for their new 72 acre Lakeshore Nature Preserve located in Highwood, Illinois within what was formerly Fort Sheridan. The ten reliefs are called "The Soil is Alive!" and depict the microscopic creatures that live in healthy soil and create soil by breaking down organic material. The detailed reliefs show many species of Bacteria, Agae, Actinomycetes, Protazoa, Tardigardes, Mites, Springtails, Fungi and Rotifers.
The Bdelloid Rotifers have been all female for ten million years through a process of cloning. Scientists wondered how they retained genetic diversity. Rotifers form a cyst when conditions are dry. They can reconstitute themselves after being dried out for extended periods of time up to seven years or more. It has been discovered that they can actually incorporate foriegn DNA from other organisms that they are digesting in their stomachs before they enter a cyst state or from organisms in the vicinity of leaf litter laying next to them.
One type of microscopic organism is the soil tardigrade also known as 'waterbears' . They inhabit the water films that surround grains of soil. One variety of this species has even visited outer space without a space suit and survived, and still reproduced offspring after the journey! Tardigrades are facilitating new questions and research about the state of cryptobiosis which is the most severe form of suspended animation any creature can be revived from.
The new research has implications for such applications as preservation of sperm, seeds, blood and food. Possibilities of human cryptobiosis are being studied which could aid in operations, preserving transplant organs and even long distance space travel! Tardigrades have been revived after 120 years of dehydration on a piece of museum specimen moss and can survive both intense freezing and boiling temperatures. Their eggs are also beautiful intricate forms.
The new research has implications for such applications as preservation of sperm, seeds, blood and food. Possibilities of human cryptobiosis are being studied which could aid in operations, preserving transplant organs and even long distance space travel! Tardigrades have been revived after 120 years of dehydration on a piece of museum specimen moss and can survive both intense freezing and boiling temperatures. Their eggs are also beautiful intricate forms.
Springtails get their name from an organ that enables them to rapidly launch or 'spring' themselves to safety from dangerous predators. They are also known as 'snowfleas' as they appear on the early days of Spring days when the melting snow enables them to climb to the surface where they appear by the thousands.
The permanent installation of ten bronze reliefs will be viewable at the Highwood Lakeshore Preserve by the Spring of 2011.
The permanent installation of ten bronze reliefs will be viewable at the Highwood Lakeshore Preserve by the Spring of 2011.