Trust Fall
Amber Summers | @gramber.summers
Fallen leaves of Nothofagus gunnii, southern Australia’s only winter-deciduous tree, nestle quietly in a cradle of exposed Fagus wood in Mount Field National Park. Their vibrant copper hues are thanks to seasonal senescence: not just the process of ageing, but of chlorophyll degradation and nutrient resorption by the tree ahead of winter’s arrival. The fan-like leaves form a temporary blanket upon the ground, beginning their return to the soil through fungal and microbial decomposition. Underneath, weathered wood exists in a slower timeline, where lignin-rich fibres are re-shaped by freeze-thaw cycles and alpine damp. Lichens are abundant here; photosynthetic partners fixing carbon, and living on surfaces where soil is scarce in this high-altitude environment. Together, they exist as a living archive of sub-alpine ecology where growth, decay and renewal are a continuous cycle orchestrated by climate, chemistry and the passage of time.
BEAKER STREET SCIENCE PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE
This photograph was a finalist in Beaker Street’s annual Science Photography Prize. This highly-respected prize invites amateur and professional photographers to showcase the wonders of our extraordinary part of the world — which is teeming with science and scientists. Finalist images are displayed at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery during Beaker Street Festival each August, with great prizes on offer for Judges’ and People’s Choice winners.
The Beaker Street Science Photography Prize is sponsored by Pennicott Foundation — thank you crew! It would not be possible without the support of Full Gamut, Tasmania’s premier fine art printers, as well as the wonderful Tasmanian businesses who donate prizes.
