GMU:Winning natural habitats

From Medien Wiki

Lecturer(s): Mindaugas Gapševičius & Klaus Fritze

Credits: 4 SWS

Date: Thursdays, 9.15-12.30

Venue: DIY Biolab @ Marienstraße 7b, Room 202

First meeting: 18.04.2024


We will start with rainwater and semi-controlled environments populated by selected organisms. Particular attention will be paid to the transient relationships between individual species and their environment. As we track changes in the semi-controlled environment, we will learn how to work with photosynthetic organisms. We will also try to understand empirically how the environment affects individual species and how individual species affect the environment. Questions to be answered include: Could the use of populated water puddles clean the air? How do different pH levels affect organisms and their environment? How do individual species change the environment?

As we learn to take practical care of our wet environment and conduct artistic research, we will develop our ideas and slowly turn them into artworks. The experiments will be documented in detail in a wiki that will serve as the basis for our weekly discussions and as a means of evaluating the course work.

The course is designed for the use of a wide range of tools, including laboratory and techno-scientific tools. We will be working with rainwater as well as cooking our own media. During our experiments we will conduct field research, use our DIY bio lab and seminar room as needed.

Part of the course is a block workshop Ecosystem services with environmental scientist Outi Wahlroos (FI). The workshop was developed to acknowledge the services which nature can offer humans. The aim is to raise awareness of the fact that without a nurturing and healthy environment, humans do suffer. The workshop is scheduled for April 25-27.

File:2024 presentation Miga und Klaus GMU.pdf

Syllabus

18.04.2024 - /Introduction

25-27.04.2024 - /Wetland Ecosystem Services Workshop

02.05.2024 - /Algae cultures (Klaus) and Maintenance of wetland

09.05.2024 - Holidays

16.05.2024 - /Ideas workshop

23.05.2024 - /Ideas workshop & /Pond microdiversity (Klaus)

30.05.2024 - /Ideas workshop & /Pond microdiversity (miga)

06.05.2024 - /Midterm presentation

13.06.2024 -

20.06.2024 -

27.06.2024 - /Project tuning (Klaus)

04.07.2024 - /Final project presentation

11.07.2024 - Summaery

Students

Natalia Gay Pintado

Sabah Khaled Abouelhadid Elsay Hassan

Jan Munske

Lalicha Lalitsasivimol

Dania González Sanabria

Cosmo Niklas Schüppel

Martha Steinmetz

Albina Akhmedova

Melika Sadeghzadeh (guest)

Exhibition (Summaery 2024)

  • Jan Munske -- performative video work in 204 (the dance floor)
  • Albina Akhmedova -- a short documentary about the biodiversity of the pond in 201
  • Dania González Sanabria -- terrarium with plants in 204 + workshop in the garden Friday or Saturday
  • Natalia Gay Pintado -- a book on microscopic images and patterns in 202 or just a book in 204/201


Research site at the pond

Photos