"Beauty is everywhere a welcome guest" - Goethe.These five recordings contain a minute glimpse of the auditory world of photosynthesising pondweed (HornWort or ceratophyllum demersum), located at the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve, Severn Farms Pond. Made audible is the production of teeming oxygen bubbles, the plants using energy from the sun to produce sugar, the beginning of an age old system of process and equilibrium.
These sounds are of a very low audibility, and have been 'picked up' by specialist hydrophones, or underwater microphones. Due to the close proximity of traffic on either side of the reserve, there is a constant low frequency presence, a slight amount of this has been filtered out, but in keeping with a certain aesthetic of representation they are left alone.
The last recording is an example of the sheer weight surrounding the reserve. I kept this because rather than being overwhelming, it is to me, a joyous thing. It shows that such minutiae can exist in any conditions and that intriguing worlds are all around and will continue to exist regardless of our anthropic presence.
Going out and searching for such auditory phenomena as this, I am constantly reminded of what it was like to be a child, intrigued by everything and anything. Always listening and watching, not taking anything for granted. Long may it stay that way.
These recordings owe a debt to Lee Patterson. A wonderful human whose depth of exploration is only exceeded by his humour and dress sense.
Patrick Farmer - Severn Farms Pond. <-- Right click and Save as to download
Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust
