FoF [FERNS of FUTURES] by Isaac Wilhelm

x40 ~ Hart’s-Tongue Fern

BIODIVURBANIZATION // FoF [FERNS of FUTURES] by Isaac M. Wilhelm RESEARCH QUESTION Can urbanites sustain long-lasting meaningful connections and awareness of indigenous biodiversity via the facilitation of multi-sensory experiences?

PROJECT AIM Using the brain’s interconnected physiology of processing sensory experiences, memory, and emotion to commence a cognitive shift within the mindset of urban populations towards an emergence of the mostly-human urbansphere and the less-nonhuman biosphere.

MANIFESTO 1. Biodivurbanization: Reintroducing idigenous biodiversity into the urbansphere. 2. Designed facilitation of experiential interactions between humans and non-humans; encouraging increased stewardship of humans for non-humans. 3. Closing waste streams, transformation towards regenerative systems with integrated bio-byproducts. 4. Assisting in the reversal of Holocene’s 12,000 years of human toxicity. 5. Moving the urbansphere towards a beneficial Earth system contributing to a healthy biosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere. 6. Working towards a 100-year future of infrastructure evolving towards fully autonomous living organisms.

Meirionnydd Oakwoods, Wales, UK

Pucks Glen, Scotland, UK

PRESENT: COMMON [MALE] FERN

ABSTRACT

Scented Alginate Balls Room Fragrance Common Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas), Present Every 10km2 in UK

FoF [Ferns of Futures] is the first exploratory installment of biodiversity’s relationship to the urbansphere, i.e. ‘biodivurbanization’. Utilizing sensory experiences to catalyze cognitive connections between UK urbanites and indigenous ferns on an evolutionary timescale. Ferns have survived three mass extinction, not including the current Holocene. What can we learn through their persistence and resilience?

Wearable: Shoulder-Strap or Belt-Loop Biomimics Sporangium Reassembles into Miniature Fern Terrarium

ø 15 cm

FUTURE: FERN EVOLUTION EVENTUALITY Scented Alcohol Gels for Sanitation Polypody (Polypodium vulgare), Most Recent Evolved + Diverse Genus Lemon-Scented Fern (Oreopteris limbosperma), Citrus Oil Glands UK Native Floral Scents Speculate Fern Gland Mimicry Evolution Wearable: Forearm or Ankle Biomimics Gametophyte Fern Spore Propagation Media + Materials L 32 cm x W 30 cm

3x L1 m

PAST: FIRST FERN

Three Roll-On Liquid Scents Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis), 180 Million Year Old Genus Ground Moss (Bryophyta), Ancestor to Tracheophytes Algae, Ancestor to Bryophytes Wearable: Arm, Neck, or Leg Biomimics Frond Fern Spore Embedded Paper from Invasive Rhododendron

As urbanscapes expand multi-dimensionally in an ever changing fast-paced digitized global metropolis, urbanites not only lose sense of themselves, but also with their endemic biomes. Before the sixth mass extinction (Holocene) and agricultural civilization reached the British Isles 6,000 years ago, British tribes existed as hunter-gatherers (Davis, 2019). Sourcing sustenance from nature’s provisions, humans played beneficial roles within Earth’s biological systems. Navigating the forest requires deep awareness of one’s surroundings, activating all five senses. On the contrary, in today’s technological world we have evolved to primarily engage with our visual sense. Distinct fern scents help UK urbanites build memory retention with present idigenous, past prehistoric, and future genetically modified ferns. FoF invites the modern UK urbanite to transcend time. Biomorphological features of UK idigenous ferns inspire the vessel form of each scent in the set. Furthermore, the vessels invite different experiences as engaging wearables and playful scent applications. Lastly, the vessels work independiently and cohessively for the cultivation+propagation of idigenous ferns in the urbansphere.

1800s CE

Advent of Ecological Perception

10000 BCE

6th Mass Extinction Holocene Commences

65 Million Years Ago

5th Mass Extinction Cretaceous-Paleogene

210 Million Years Ago

4th Mass Extinction Triassic

251 Million Years Ago

3rd Mass Extinction Permian

374 Million Years Ago

2nd Mass Extinction Devonian

445 Million Years Ago

1st Mass Extinction Ordovician

Great Oxidation Event 2.45 Billion Years Ago

Biological Science Egypt + Mesopotamia

3000 BCE

1200 BCE

Agriculture Reaches Britain

4000 BCE

100 CE

British Industrial Revolution

Alexander Von Humboldt Cosmos: Vol. 1 Victorian Fern Enthusiasm Kerosene Lamp Invented Charles Darwin On The Origin of Species Synthetic Plastic Invented Bernard London Planned Obsolescence Rachel Carson Silent Spring Climate Emergency Declared

1850 CE 1854 CE 1859 CE 1907 CE 1932 CE 1960 CE 2019 CE

150 Million Years Ago

350 Million Years Ago

1845 CE

1760 CE

1750 CE

Charles Linnaeus Binomial Nomenclature

Romans Distill Water

Tapputi Perfume Babylon

Agriculture Begins Fertile Crescent

Homo sapien Evolves

300,000 Years Ago 10000 BCE

Homo habilis Evolves

Mammals Evolve

Dinosaurs Evolve

2.8 Million Years Ago

178 Million Years Ago

245 Million Years Ago

Sea Animals Evolve

1.5 Billion Years Ago

Sense of Smell Evolves

Land Animals Evolve

500 Million Years Ago

700 Million Years Ago

800 Million Years Ago

Eukaryotic Cells Evolve

2 Billion Years Ago Algae Evolve

Life on Earth

3.7 Billion Years Ago

Flowers Evolve

Seeds Evolve

52 Million Years Ago

145 Million Years Ago

360 Million Years Ago

410 Million Years Ago

470 Million Years Ago

The Azolla Event

Modern Ferns Evolve

Ferns Evolve

Tracheophytes Evolve

Bryophytes Evolve

ECOLOGICAL EVOLUTION: FERN+HUMAN

HUMAN EXPERIENCE: SENSORY+ECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Taste: Gustatory Cortex (Parietal Lobe) Gestation Week 9 Smell: Olfactory Cortex (Frontal Lobe) Gestation Week 10 Touch: Parietal Lobe Gestation Week 11 Sight: Occipital Lobe Gestation Week 27 Hearing: Auditory Cortex (Temporal Lobe) Gestation Week 35 Emotion: Temporal Lobe / Amygdala 6-12 Months Old Memory: Temporal Lobe / Amygdala / Hippocampus / Cerebellum 2 Years Old

Past Man: Hunter-Gatherer -Pre-Holocene -Coexistenced with Biodiversity -Lived in Nature -Ferns as Wild Resource

Present Man: Urbanite -Holocene -Disregards Biodiversity -Lives on Nature -Ferns as Domestic Decoration

Future Man: Space Propagator -Post-Holocene -Encourages Biodiversity -Lives with Nature -Ferns as Terraforming Tools

BIODIVURBANIZATION: BIODIVERSITY+URBANIZATION

Once Upon A Time: Indigenous Planet

Yesterday: Global Urbanization

Long Ago: Birth of Agriculture

Today: Benign Urban Greenspace

Biodiversity “Greenspace” Indigenous People Low-Income Middle Class Rich+Powerful

Awhile Back: Commercial Industrialization

Tomorrow: Symbiotic Urbansphere/Biosphere

Well-Being of Global Rainforest Countires

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The Celtic Temperate Rainforest exists in small, fragmented patches along the western coast of the UK. These small islands of rainforests were once a large, unified ecosystem. About 6,000 years ago agriculture arrived in Britain (Davis, 2019). Since then, forest have been replaced by grazelands and crop fields.

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UK Japan Brazil New Zealand Costa Rica Malaysia Australia Norway

Highest

Native Alien Endangered Native Species Species Species Ferns 70,000 2,566 7,000 63 94,500 2,243 2,042 600 133,000 1,080 1,172 1,111 70,000 851 7,500 200 500,000 396 351 800 200,000 317 1,476 1,165 300,000 2,799 1,700 450 43,705 1,096 2,752 53

Temperate rainforests are more rare than subtropical+tropical rainforests (Woodland Trust, 2021). Many of the same reasons are responsible for the continued deforestation of temperate rainforests as tropical rainforests. Although temperate rainforests do not have as much biodiversity as tropical rainforests, they do possess a greater biomass (Freeman, 2021).

Population Urban Annual Average Growth Population Deforestation Rate 0.50% 83.00% 0.65% -0.30% 92.00% 0.14% 0.70% 88.00% 0.58% 0.80% 87.00% 0.57% 0.90% 80.00% 0.32% 1.30% 78.00% 1.43% 1.20% 86.00% 1.00% 0.80% 83.00% 0.33%

TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS: WHY DO THEY MATTER?

Crinan Wood, Scotland, UK

Indigenous Species 1. Sessile Oak, Quercus petraea 2. +1,000 Bryophytes 3. 63 Ferns 4. 3 Quillworts 5. 8 Clubmosses 6. 9 Horsetails 7. +/- 500 Lichens 8. +15,000 Fungi Invasive Species 9. Rhododendron

1 7

CELTIC RAINFOREST: BIODIVERSITY+ANTHROPOLOGICAL ID Myths Wearing Ferns Provided Invisibility; Ferns Granted Perpetual Youth Fairies+Trolls+Changelings Lived in Ferns; Wall Rue Kept Witches Away Male Fern Roots Used as Aphrodisiac + in Love Potions Uprooting Ferns Caused Rainstorms + Mental Insanity Medicinal Uses Chewing First Bracken of Year Soothed Toothaches Maidenhair Prevented Baldness + Made Cold & Cough Syrup Male Ferns Remedied Congestion+Worms; Wall Rue Remedied Rickets Industrial Uses Fuel; Thatching; Bedding; Compost+Mulch; Potash Glass+Soap (Brown, 2020)

6 9

7 9 8

Pucks Glen, Scotland, UK

2 4

Coed Cwm Elan, Wales, UK

Ga me to

FERN REPRODUCTION CYCLE yte ph

Archegonium E gg

IS MEIOS

Antherid ium

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Spora

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Fiddlehea d

Gametophy

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D I P LO ID

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ILIZATION FERT

DIP LO ID

S p re m

HAPLOID

DEHISCE NC E

D OI L P HA

IS OS T I M

SCENT VESSEL TYPOLOGY

Great Woods, England, UK

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PRESENT: COMMON [MALE] FERN Dry

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BIOMORPHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS: SPORANGIUM Com m on

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VESSEL BIO/DESIGN MORPHOLOGY: SPORANGIUM

Sporangium Biomorphology 1

Common Male Fern, Dryopteris filix-mas 2 -Widespread Throughout UK Every 10 km (Merryweather, 2020) -Thrives in Urban+Natural Settings (Merryweather, 2020) -Hardy; Survives Dry Conditions (Merryweather, 2020)

Vessel Identity -Most Populous Fern in UK -Room Fragrance, Sustainable Alginate Fragrance Beads -Wearable on Bag Shoulder Strap -Secondary Use: Urban Terrarium for Fern Cultivation

7 1

3 5

4 3

6 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Pedicel Rosette Arcus Annulus Non-Annulus Cells Epistomium Lips Hypostomium Spores

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Stomium // Latch Hook Pedicel // Attachment Tube Rosette // Tube Coverslip Annulus // Threaded Ring Lips // Aroma Cap Non-Annulus // Container Post-Dehiscence // Terrarium

(N.T.S.)

Vessel Design Morphology 3

4 cm

2 cm

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al Fern, Os Roy mu nd

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PAST: THE FIRST FERN

BIOMORPHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS: FROND

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d P oly p o y

ra m

podium vul Poly gar e

cr is p

er ta l ck ila u B sd d a Bro pteri Dr y

ide n

Asp hair Spleenwort lenium trichomanes

Tunbridge Film menophy y llum -Fe Hy tu r n nb

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Hart’s-T ongue Fern A splenium

scolopendrium

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VESSEL BIO/DESIGN MORPHOLOGY: FROND

Frond Biomorphology

Royal Fern, Osmunda regalis -Genus Osmunda Evolved 180 Million Years Ago (Quantrell, 2021) -Specimens Recorded Age Over Century (Merryweather, 2020) -Sporangia Located on Frond Apex (Merryweather, 2020)

Bryophytes -Ancest Pteridophytes Algae / Cyanobacteria -Ancest Bryophytes

5 7

4 1

3 6

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Vessel Identity -Scents Representative of Previous Fern Evolution -Personal Usage on Bodily Pressure Points -Wearable Around Leg/Bicep -Secondary Use: Propagation Source of Fern Spores

Scales Pinnule Costa Rachis Sori Pinna Petiole Lamina Frond

3 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Costa // Fern Scent Tube Costa // Byrophyte Scent Tube Costa // Algae Scent Tube Petiole // Tube Connector Rachis // Paper Connector Pinna // Spore Paper Stomium // Scent Roller

5 7

Vessel Design Morphology

2 12 cm

6 cm

od y, P

Polyp

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angustifoli a

mbosperma i l is r e pt

t ri s Bl o ss

p Ap

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nted Fern ,O re o

Lavender, h La lis v g n

FUTURE: FERN EVOLUTION EVENTUALITY

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P oly p o d

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P oly

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A s p le ni u m s co lo

BIOMORPHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS: GAMETOPHYTE

n-S c e nted

ly Po

p o d i u m v ul ga re

VESSEL BIO/DESIGN MORPHOLOGY: GAMETOPHYTE

Gametophyte Biomorphology

Polypody, Polypodium vulgare -Family Polypodiaceae Evolved Cenozoic Radiation Events (Liu, 2021) -One of Most Species Diverse Extant Ferns (Liu, 2021) -Predominately Found in Rainforest (Liu, 2021)

1. Prothallium 2. Archegonium (Egg) 3. Antheridium (Sperm)

Lemon-Scented Fern, Oreopteris limbosperma -Pinnules Glands Contain Citrus Essential Oil (Merryweather, 2020) -Is There a Trait Advantage Evolving in This Genus? Vessel Identity -GMO Introduced Scents, Potentially Increasing Spore Dispersal -GMO Assistance in Galactic Terraforming -Scented Sanitary Alcohol Gel for Personal+Scientific Sterilization -Wearable on Forearm -Secondary Use: Container for Spore Plates + Media Supplies

ME IO SI S

1 4

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Archegonium // Spore Plate Mount Prothallium // Clasp Center Antheridium // Culture Media Antheridium // Scented Sanitizer Antheridium // Clasp Tips

3 2

Vessel Design Morphology

4 cm

2 cm

PROTOCOLS + EXPERIMENTS

x40 ~ Tunbridge Filmy Fern

le Fronds

Fer ti

bu rs em en t

er Matuore fF Frond 5% s

Dying Fronds

Fer ti

Mature Fronds

Decomposing Fronds Re tu r

Replenishing Hum f l us Se Cy

Dying Degrading Fronds Fronds

Degrading Fronds

l Cycle atura N s to d on Fr s n Di e or p tS s e Fo r

bu rs em en t

Re tu r 3

cle

Decomposing Fronds

Fern Scent Distillation

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cle

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plenishing Hum lf-Re us e S Cy

Fo r e

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Fresh Fiddleheads

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Ho lly Fe rn , (E

Adolescent Fronds

Fresh Foraged Fronds of

Cli p< 1

FERN FORAGING: LIFECYCLE INTEGRATION PROTOCOL

Cooked Fronds

l Cycle atura N to ds n o Fr

Common Male Fern Distillation

EAU FRAICHE PRODUCTION: DISTILLATION+STERILIZATION PROTOCOL

Clean 3x with Cold Tap Water

Fresh aged onds

Fresh Foraged Fronds

e Sterile Syringe Sterile raiche into Eau Fraiche into ls Vessels 6

Place Cleaned Place Cleaned Place Cleaned Fronds in Fronds in Fronds in Distillation Pot Distillation Pot Distillation Pot 3

Fresh Foraged Fronds

Sterilize Eau Fraiche with Stericup Millipore 5

Sterilize Sterilize Eau Fraiche Eau Fraiche with Stericupwith Stericup Millipore Millipore 5

Fern Scent Distillation

Fern Scent Fern Scent Distillation Distillation

Soft Orient al

Common Male Fern Dryopteris filix-mas

Or ien ta

ft l o S ra o Fl

l Flora l nta Orie

Broad Buckler Fern Dryopteris dilata

Flo ral

ody Wo ental i Or

Golden Scaly Male Fern Dryopteris affinis Woods

l Whee

Gre

Mo Wo ssy od s

Fruity

t Scen ange R n r Fe

W at

C i t ru

Aro ma

ti c

y Dr ds oo W

Hard Fern Struthiopteris spicant Hart’s-Tongue Asplenium scolopendrium Lady Fern Athyrium filix-femina Lemon-Scented Fern Oreopteris limbosperma Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes Parsley Fern Cryptogramma crispa Polypod Polypodium vulgare Royal Fern Osmunda regalis

Woods

Mossy Woods

Dry Woods

Bracken Pteridium aquilinum

Aromatic

Conclusion: Each species has a unique scent profile after distillation. Although some species have similar notes, their full scent profile is unique and identifiable.

Citrus

Scent Key: UK Indigenous Fern Species

Water

Hypothesis: Each species of fern foraged will have a unique scent profile after distillation, despite most species exhibiting very low aromatic properties during their lifecycle.

Green

EAU FRAICHE PRODUCTION: SCENT WHEEL+SPECIES SCENT KEY

VESSEL MATERIALITY: AQUACULTURE SYSTEM MAPPING

Bioplastic Bioplastic FoF FoF Compost Compost

Polluted Polluted Air Air

NO3- NO3

Grey Grey Water Water

PO43- 3PO4

CO 2 CO 2

Water Fern, Azolla Water Fern, Azolla Native: Native: S. America, N. America, N.Africa, America, S. America, Asia, Australia Asia, Africa, Australia Invasive: Invasive: Europe Europe Carbon Sequestration: Carbon Sequestration: 6 Tonnes / Acre Annually 6 Tonnes / Acre Annually Biomass Doubling: Biomass 3 - 10 Days Doubling: 3 - 10 Days

Biofuel Biofuel

Aquatic Plant: Aquatic Plants: Water Fern Water Fern / Duckweed

Duckweed, Lemnoideae Native: N. America, Europe, Asia, Africa Naturalized: S. America, Australia Primary Remediation Sources

Manure Manure

Secondary Remediation Sources

Livestock Livestock Feed Feed

Pollutants Remediated Bioremediating Organism Byproducts

Carbon Fixation: 42,052 mg Biomass Doubling: 16 hrs - 2 Days

VESSEL MATERIALITY: WATER FERN BIOPLASTIC EXPERIMENTS

Gelatin

Starch

Agar

100 mL Tap Water 17 g Gelatin 8 g Glycerol 3 g Water Fern Powder

100 mL Tap Water 4 g Agar 6.5 g Glycerol 3 g Water Fern Powder

100 mL Tap Water 12 g Potato Starch 6 g White Wine Vinegar 7 g Glycerol 3 g Water Fern Powder

230 mL Skim Milk 20 g White Wine Vinegar 0.5 g Water Fern Powder

Drying Water Fern

Casein Collecting Water Fern Regent’s Canal, London, UK

t p o

fili s ri

Hypothesis: Embedding fern spores in natural paper made of remediated invasive Rhododendron clippings will provide a resting surface for fern spores unitl water activated for desired porpagation. Furthermore, the natural Rhododendron fiber will help retain moisture developement and provide additional beneficial nutrients for gametophyte.

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FERN SPORES EMBEDDED RHODODENDRON PAPER: COMMON MALE FERN PROPAGATION

Conclusion: After just four weeks the first gametophyte of embedded Dryopteris filix-mas spore was observed. After seven weeks, many colonies of gamethophytes were visilbe and developing healhily; non-competitive fungal colonies appeared to be developing as well. Is there a positive relation between the gametophytes and the fungus?

00 Co m m

er n

x3 2 mm

5 mm

Physical Prototyping Bioresin Material Exhibition Humidifer Fern Spores Embedded Rhododendron Paper

WHAT NEXT

Computational Development Computational Patterning/Texturing Operable Parts 3D Modeling Continued 3D Printing

Living Organisms Continued Hybridization Experimentation Continued Spore Plate Observation+Documentation Azolla Propagation Alagae+Liverwort Scent

Continued Education VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) Identification Antonelli Lab+Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Center Site Visit Charles Linnaeus Garden+Museum Site Visit RHS Research Library

CONTACT INFO: Isaac M. Wilhlem MA Biodesign, Central Saint Martins email: isaac.m.wilhelm@gmail.com i.wilhelm0720191@arts.ac.uk insta: @imwhatever_designs PROJECT VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/3ekKKFJvW1A NETWORK // COLLABORATORS American Fern Society British Pteriological Society Dr. Sven P. Batke, Plant Science Programme Leader Edge Hill University Dr. Weston Testo, Post Doctoral Research Associate Antonelli Lab & Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre

Kendal, England, UK