sub_TIDAL is an audiovisual piece created by algorithmically processed gas exchange data collected over four years at a wetland restoration project on Sherman Island in California’s Delta. Formerly grazed pastures, this developing ecosystem provides critical wildlife habitat for resident and migratory species, and can help reduce pressure on levees critical for the safety of California’s drinking supply. Additionally, the wetland influences greenhouse gas emissions by storing carbon and releasing methane. To help reveal the invisible forces that structure the developing ecosystem, and to highlight the interdependence between human and natural systems, this project uses Max MSP to translate ecosystem parameters visually (by applying color filters controlled by sensor data to time-lapse imagery) and sonically (by creating melodies using sampled instruments controlled by sensor data). This educational project takes a multi-sensory approach to engage new ways of comprehending local climate dynamics in the context of ecological restoration.
