Beard
Image of
Bärtchen are 0.1 to 1.5 millimeters small and can be found in all ecosystems on earth. They feed on wheel animals and other microorganisms. As survival artists, the small animals can survive for years in a dry rigidity in which they are resistant to any environmental influences. © Eye of Science
Fascinatingly foreign, tiny small-and yet of the greatest importance: an exciting picture book trip to the beauties and bizarre of the often ignored microcosm under our feet.
Admittedly, not every living being in this spectacular illustrated book looks as cute as the beard on the cover. What makes the photographer duo Nicole Ottawa and Oliver Meckes visible under the scanning electron microscope is of fascinating beauty-and sometimes of frightening-curling strangeness. If the coarse predatory mites, bristly jumping tails, hundred feet with huge poisonous claws, red-black clowns or earthworms with chitin spikes in dog or even cow size would be encountered, one would probably escape. The microcosm, which we take with feet and mercilessly with feet every walk in the forest and field, is teeming and- yes, also this: wonderful life.
Anyone who has held this book in your hands and leafed, read and marveled in it will pay great respect to these smallest beings. They are literally dirty workers, core, shredded and process organic waste, dead plants, fallen trees and animal corpses – and thus produce humus. However, these important beings are threatened: by monocultures in forestry and many practices of conventional agriculture. The book does not silence this dark side, but urgently shows how important it is to protect our floors and what measures are required so that this can succeed.
This is mainly thanks to the other duo that contributed to the success of this magnificent band: Veronika Straaß and Claus-Peter Lieckfeld have written exciting and creative texts that prepare pure reading friction and, with all the seriousness, always smile. In this book, pictures and texts merge into an impressive plea for more respect for this “underworld”, that irreplaceable basis for everything that grows above ground, crumbs and flows. Barbara Ritzert
Nicole Ottawa, Oliver Meckes, Veronika Straaß, Claus-Peter Lieckfeld
Dirty work
Dölling & Galitz Verlag, 144 pages, € 30, –
ISBN 978-3-86218-172-8
