BioArt in the Sonoran Desert

BioArt: Sonoran and Arctic Environments is an interdisciplinary course at Arizona State University’s West Campus that pairs science and art majors to conduct independent scientific research and science communication through art. While the disciplines of science and art are usually considered to be very different, they actually require a similar set of skills: observation, interpretation, creativity, and communication. Students in this course hone these skills by studying both art and science in two ecosystems that are also considered to be very different, yet in fact similar in many ways: the Sonoran Desert and the Arctic. The goal is to train a broader group of students in both disciplines and engage them in science communication.

The product of these scientist-artist teams gets displayed in an exhibition, including the traditional scientific presentation of their research, as well as the creative work that conveys the research through a different medium. The most recent set of projects was exhibited in August & September 2019 at the Fletcher Library at ASU. This spring, the work was set up for display at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center, to be enjoyed by visitors to South Mountain Park. That way, visitors to this Sonoran Desert reserve could see science and art based on that ecosystem! Unfortunately, that display was cut very short. It was up for only one weekend before the visitor center was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic! Since it can no longer be enjoyed by in person, I thought I could perhaps publish it here, for people to enjoy remotely all over the world.

So, without further ado, I present to you the BioArt projects from the Sonoran Desert!

Lourdes, Mohammad, and Rebecca explored how different amounts of precipitation can influence the abundance and diversity of wildflowers in the Sonoran Desert. They learned that different locations have different wildflower communities, though humans may have a role in creating those communities, not just precipitation alone. Learn more about it in their research poster.

This trio of canvases represents how rainfall can influence heterogeneity of wildflower communities around Phoenix. The blue paint at the bottom of the canvas represents how many centimeters of rain fell from December 31st, 2018 through March 1st, 2019 at three different locations in the Phoenix area. Our goal is to show which species of wildflowers were most common at each site that was surveyed. The most common species of wildflowers were centered around the least common wildflower species.

Paul & Shauny's experiment investigated the amount of excess nutrients can be found in lakes next to recreation areas that use different amounts of fertilizers, and whether that makes algal blooms likely in those areas. They found more algae in lakes near fertilized areas, with the amount of nutrients depending upon the management practices used.  Read more in their research poster.

Essential nutrients include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) to nourish and sustain life in both terrestrial and aquatic environments when present in properly balanced quantities. An imbalance in nutrient levels, such as that caused by the addition of fertilizer to a terrestrial ecosystem which runs off into a nearby waterway, can cause a rapid spike in primary production, depleting resources and ultimately leading to the death of organisms within the system. In their artwork, an unsuspecting abundance of ciliates, flagellates, and multiple algae species swim on shimmering silver stream currents as they feast on an unexpected influx of NPK, the result of fertilizer run-off from a nearby field. Just like phytoplankton, this painting requires light to be vibrant. (Unfortunately, I took this photo at night, so you can't see the light reflection that makes it shimmer!)

Brittany and Kamber investigated how soil fertility changes as you increase in elevation up mountains in Phoenix's park reserves. They found that some nutrients increase with elevation, while others decrease. Read more in their research poster.

Their short film is a visual and auditory representation of the Sonoran Desert and some of the many species of organisms that inhabit it. All photography and videography is original work inspired by our driving question of: “Does human interaction in the Sonoran Desert affect overall soil fertility?” Although experimentation heavily relied on test tubes and various lab work, immersing ourselves in the environment of interest and sharing these experiences through photographs and video has helped support our findings. Yes, human interaction in the Sonoran Desert affects overall soil fertility. We are striving to help others understand that even something as basic as “dirt” is actually nutritionally complex soil in need of our protection. Through both art and science, we can make the world a better place. You can watch their video here:

(Like BioArt and want to see a few examples from the Arctic, as well? See our sister Polar Soils Blog at this post, as well as this post.)