Hackteria Network Zines Library/Soil and Ecology
Contents
Soil and Ecology
Circular Soil Chromatography
- Author: Julian Chollet, Fernando “Nano” Castro (Text & images); Akvilė Paukštytė (Design & illustration); Vicky Daulay (Translation), Nova “Nopel” Basuki (Layout), mikroBIOMIK / Humus Sapiens
- Format: A5, 12pp
- Language: English
- Date: 2025
◈ ARCHIVIST SUMMARY: Circular soil chromatography workshop edition. History of method (mid-20th century, biodynamic farming). Technique: filter paper + silver nitrate + soil extract = colour patterns revealing soil health. Emphasis on subjective/educational value.◈
- Machine Extraction: Based solely on the provided text, here is a factual summary of the zine's content:Title: "Short guide to circular soil chromatography" (Workshop edition)Subject: Circular chromatography as a method for soil analysis and as an educational workshop tool.Core Technique: The method involves creating a soil extract using a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. This extract is then placed on filter paper that has been soaked in a diluted silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution. Capillary forces draw the liquid through the paper, separating soil components by size and chemical properties. The reaction with silver nitrate, which is sensitive to light, produces color patterns.Historical Context: The method was developed in the mid-20th century. It was adapted for soil analysis in the 1950s by Ehrenfried Pfeiffer within the context of anthroposophic ("biodynamic") agriculture, a spiritual philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner.Workshop Structure: The zine outlines a two-day workshop format, with each day requiring approximately 3-4 hours. Day 1 covers introduction, soil sampling, drying, and making soil extracts. Day 2 covers starting the chromatography, drying the chromatograms ("chromas"), and discussing results. The process includes multiple waiting periods ("gaps").Tools and Materials:
• Tools: Scale (0.1g precision), measuring glass (50-100 ml), glass jars or plastic tubes (minimum 50 ml), petri dishes or jar lids, 1-liter jar for NaOH solution, 100 ml jar for AgNO3 solution, small kitchen sie
- Key Concepts: (pending analysis)
Circular Soil Chromatography Guide (English)
- Author: Julian Chollet, Fernando “Nano” Castro (Text & images); Akvilė Paukštytė (Design & illustration), mikroBIOMIK / Humus Sapiens
- Format: A5, 12pp
- Language: English
- Date: 2022
◈ ARCHIVIST SUMMARY: The original 2022 English guide on circular soil chromatography. A subjective and educational approach to assessing soil life and health.◈
- Machine Extraction: Based solely on the provided text, here is a dry, factual summary of the zine's content:Subject: Circular chromatography of soil extracts.Purpose: A method for analyzing soil properties, developed in the mid-to-late 20th century, used by biodynamic farmers. Its scientific validity is disputed, but it follows a strict protocol and yields reproducible results. It is also used for education and to reconnect people to soil.Principle: Liquids travel through filter paper via capillary forces. Components of mixed samples migrate at different speeds based on size and physical/chemical properties.Procedure:1. Extraction: Soil extracts are made using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to break down organic matter.2. Paper Preparation: Filter papers are soaked with a dilute silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution, which is sensitive to light and reacts with soil components to produce colors.3. Chromatography: The soil extract is applied to the prepared filter paper via a wick. The process is stopped when the solution reaches ~3 cm from the paper's edge.4. Development: Chromas are dried and exposed to indirect sunlight for 2-3 hours.Tools and Materials: Scale (0.1g precision) Measuring glass (50-100ml) Glass jars (min. 100ml) Petri dishes or jar lids Pipette (2-10 ml) Rubber gloves Scissors Silver nitrate (AgNO3) - 0.2g for 20 chromas Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) - 10g for 20 chromas Distilled water - ~1.5l for 20 chromas Filter papers (15 cm diameter) - 22 for 20 chromasSolutions: 0.5% AgNO3 solution (e.g., 0.
- Key Concepts: (pending analysis)
DIRT Handbook
- Author: ArtScienceBLR (Bangalore)
- Format: A5, 20pp
- Language: English
- Date: 2022
◈ ARCHIVIST SUMMARY: A tactical field manual for DIY soil research produced by ArtScienceBLR (2011). It provides protocols for sampling, testing, and aerial mapping using low-cost materials, bridging the gap between artistic practice and environmental science.◈
- Machine Extraction: Hand-drawn manual for soil forensic protocols. Includes logistics for 4°C cold-chain transport via public transit (India context), DIY equipment fabrication, and balloon-based aerial photography. Featured quotes link human waste/effluvium to the growth of art. Produced using Scribus 1.5.5, the zine documents mapping nodes across India including Bhopal, Ramgarh, and Assam.⚠️ Image-heavy; analyzed via Agentic Vision Protocol.
- Key Concepts: Tactical Soil Research, DIY Lab Equipment, Balloon Mapping, Metabolic Labor, Field-to-Lab Logistics
Fungal Bioreactor Guide
- Author: Malte Larsen, Julian Chollet (Authors); Malte Larsen, Akvilė Paukštytė (Design & illustration), mikroBIOMIK / Humus Sapiens
- Format: A5, 12pp
- Language: English
- Date: 2024
◈ ARCHIVIST SUMMARY: Low-tech method for producing soil inoculant with high fungal/bacterial density. Covers soil food-web theory, regenerative agriculture rationale, practical bioreactor construction.◈
- Machine Extraction: Based solely on the provided text, here is a factual summary of the zine's content.Subject: A low-tech method for producing a soil inoculant, referred to as a "fungal bioreactor," intended for soil regeneration.Core Concept: The bioreactor is a specific type of compost pile designed not to produce fertilizer, but to create a soil additive rich in saprophytic fungi. The product is called an "inoculant" to highlight its purpose of introducing organisms into degraded soils.Key Conditions for Fungal Growth: The method requires woody material as a food source, darkness, humidity, fresh air, and an undisturbed environment for at least 12-16 months.Design Principles:
• The design must ensure conditions for fungal growth while being affordable, long-lasting, and easy to build. • The ideal location provides shade and a water connection. • Both designs feature air channels for passive ventilation and a drainage/drip-irrigation system for stable humidity. • Aeration channels are created using tube-shaped placeholders (e.g., sticks, pipes) with a diameter of ~10 cm, placed before filling and removed after 1-2 days. Maximum distance between channels is 30 cm.Design 1: Classic Design (Wooden Pallet and Wire Mesh) • Materials: Standard shipping pallet (120 cm x 80 cm), wire re-mesh (150 cm x 300 cm or 150 cm x 500 cm), woven landscape fabric (minimum 140g), tube-shaped placeholders (~10 cm diameter, 5 pieces, 150 cm each), sturdy wire, sticks/bamboo, rubber bands, irrigation system. • Tools
- Key Concepts: (pending analysis)
Me an ma Wormies #1
- Author: Andrew Gryf Paterson (agryfp)
- Format: A4 folded zine / Leaflet, 2pp
- Language: English (Scots Title)
- Date: 2023
◈ ARCHIVIST SUMMARY: "Me an ma Wormies" is a vermicomposting zine that frames the relationship with compost worms (*Eisenia fetida*) as an ongoing more-than-human partnership. It provides a mix of biological facts—explaining how worms breathe through their skin and their role as ecological engineers—with practical DIY advice for setting up worm bins using recycled plastic containers and organic waste. The zine includes a potential residency schedule for "processed-based arts" and emphasizes "raw, cooked, rotten" circular economy thinking.◈
- Machine Extraction: Hand-drawn guide to Eisenia fetida morphology and care. Provides specific carbon (egg boxes, toilet rolls) vs. nitrogen (coffee grinds, onion skins) balance ratios for DIY bin construction. Includes a 14-day residency protocol for "processed-based arts" focusing on youth engagement (14-20 years) and Dadaist collage aesthetics. Emphasizes the "invigilating artist" as a participant in microbial metabolic cycles.⚠️ Image-heavy; analyzed via Agentic Vision Protocol.
- Key Concepts: Metabolic Kinship, Epigean Logistics, The Invigilator-Artist, Raw/Cooked/Rotten, #VermiSelfie
Soil Microscopy Zine (English)
- Author: Julian Chollet (Text & images), Akvilė Paukštytė (Design & illustration), mikroBIOMIK / Humus Sapiens
- Format: A5, 12pp
- Language: English
- Date: 2023
◈ ARCHIVIST SUMMARY: A polyglot guide to the microscopic life of the rhizosphere. This zine documents the "Soil Food Web" through the lens of DIY microscopy, teaching readers how to build field microscopes from webcams and how to identify key soil organisms. It serves as a foundational text for the Humus Sapiens and UROŠ projects, bridging open-source hardware with regenerative agriculture.◈
- Machine Extraction: 12-page manual (extracted from German, English, Spanish, and Indonesian versions).
- **Core Methodology**: Detailed protocols for soil sample preparation (1-2 days soaking, "pitido" test for water saturation), slide preparation (3-5 drops, cover slip placement), and systematic observation. - **Microscopy Tools**: Comparison between "Classic" (Zeiss), "OpenFlexure" (3D-printed/Raspberry Pi), and "DIY" (modified webcam) microscopes. Highlights the Hackteria "DIY microscopy" lineage. - **Taxonomy of the Soil**: Descriptions and identification keys for 11 organism groups including Collembola, Acari, Tardigrada, Nematodes, Rotifers, and Mycelium. - **Indicators**: High diversity = healthy; Many Ciliates = low oxygen/anaerobic; Lack of Mycelium = frequent soil disturbance (plowing/chemicals). - **Credits**: Text by Julian Chollet, Design by Akvilė Paukštytė. Supports Regosh, mikrobiomik.org, and Global Hackteria Network.
- Key Concepts: Rhizosphere Protocols, DIY Microscopy, Soil Food Web, Regenerative Agriculture, Open Source Hardware (UROŠ), Humus Sapiens
Soil life illustration (PNG)
- Author: Mona Schreiber / mikroBIOMIK / Humus Sapiens
- Format: Single PNG (Original A3 Print)
- Language: German / Scientific Latin
- Date: —
◈ ARCHIVIST SUMMARY: A masterful hand-drawn visualization of the soil food web mapping biodiversity across three nested scales (~30mm, ~1mm, ~0.1mm). Details the interactions between macro-fauna (earthworms) and the microscopic wetware of the rhizosphere (ciliates, nematodes, fungi). Created for the Humus Sapiens open-soil research initiative.◈
- Machine Extraction: This single-page illustration functions as a recursive map of the pedosphere. It centers on three circular magnifications that drill down from the visible world into the microbial kernel. The outermost layer (~30mm) features earthworms (Lumbricidae), snails, and botanical indicators (poppies, dandelions). The meso-scale (~1mm) identifies Bodenmilben (mites) and Springschwänze (collembolans), framing them as the primary data-movers of the soil crust. The deep-micro scale (~0.1mm) reveals a dense mesh of Fadenwürmer (nematodes), Wimperntiere (ciliates), and Amöben (amoebas), interspersed with fungal hyphae (Pilze) and algae. The work is signed by Mona Schreiber and carries the mikroBIOMIK branding, serving as both an educational tool and a "system log" for open soil research.
- Key Concepts: Open Soil Research, Soil Food Web, Micro-Biomik, Humus Sapiens Initiative, Rhizosphere Protocols
The Indomitable Water Bear
- Author: Sheri Potter (Small Science Collective)
- Format: Letter / 1 Page
- Language: English
- Date: —
◈ ARCHIVIST SUMMARY: A visually rich zine dedicated to the tardigrade (water bear), exploring the resilience, morphology, and extreme survival capabilities of these microscopic creatures. Includes diagrams and historical context.◈
- Machine Extraction: • Subject: Milnesium tardigradum and related species of tardigrade (water bear).
• Biology: Details morphology: eight legs with claws, ventral nervous system, buccal tube with stylets. Size: 0.1–1.5mm. • Mechanism: Cryptobiosis (tun state): Retracts legs, expels 95% body water, slows metabolism to <0.01%. • Survival Data: Vacuum of space, 6,000 atmospheres, -272°C to +150°C, 5,000 Gy radiation. • Protocol: Recommended compound microscope (40x–100x). Collection from moss/lichen soaked in distilled water. • Zine Structure: Anatomical diagrams, timeline of discovery (Spallanzani 1777), DIY culturing methods.
- Key Concepts: Cryptobiotic Resilience, Micro-pluriverse, Anabiotic Survival, Omnipotent Fragility, Temporal Hibernation
