Glenan Boulder Project

Aim: to track changes in lichen & bryophyte coverage on several boulders in the Glenan nature reserve over the years.

We propose to use photogrammetry to scan selected rocks anually; successive scans will be combined to produce 2d / 3d animations depicting the changes in vegetation cover over time.

 Meet the rocks:

Archie: One of the few places on the reserve where Ricasolia virens grows. Also with some Lobarina scrobiculata mixed in.

 

 

Brad: Right next to the path, just inside the woods. Brad has Nephroma laveigatum and patchy moss coverage. A small holly tree stands beside them, and there is a substantial void beneath.

 

 

Chuck: On flat ground, away from the the cliffs. Chuck has good bryophyte coverage - a lot of tamarisk moss on top (and drifting oak leaves), but also some leafy liverworts round the sides.

 

 

Doug: well up in a jumble of coarse talus, Doug is multifaceted - including some overhaging surfaces.

 

 

 

Ernest: a steep, roof-wise rock; less mossy than most of thier peers.

 

 

 

 

Frank: with a well-defined border of flat, leaf litter all around; Frank is a massive boulder with four sides - each with a different pattern of moss, lichen and liverwort coverage.

 

 

 

Greg: a fairly small, low boulder, almost completely covered in tamarisk moss, with some over-growing honeysuckle. 

 

 

Hugh: in a broad field of similar rocks; in the shade of the wide, spreading boughs of large oak.

 

Ivor: has a good variety of bryophytes - including some haircap moss, but also some small tufts of grass showing. Perhaps Ivor is on their way to becoming turfed over?

Jake: beyond the Glenan burn, Jake nestles under a hazel well away from most human visitors.

 

 

3D Scan VR Showcase:

 

 

3d scan of Frank embedded in a webpage:

Photogrammetry of Very Small Things

 Exciting progress on 'photogrammetry of very small things' this evening: I have devised a simple, but effective rostrum for photographing tiny subjects from every angle. 

 

 Rostrum made from a flower pot, 2 cardboard circles and a wine cork. Lighting from a very small torch fastened to the rig by a rubber band; there is a white sticky label on the light to make the lighting more diffuse.

A shrivelled, dry Cladonia caespiticia specimen. Small... and very frilly. The ruler is cm, not inches.

A really quite detailed 3d model generated from 60 photos taken from various angles. This time I used Apple's free 3d Scanner App which is easy to use and the results seem okay so far. 

Here is one of the 60 source photos used to construct the 3d model:

Here's a link to the resulting 3d model: https://3dviewer.net/#model=https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2o33u6wbjwsqj07to1p32/CladoniaCaespiticiaModel.zip?rlkey=3vmlxhudxoatpm6d366zzw46s&st=bz8nymih&dl=0

 

 ...and a second one: Cetrelia cetraroides. This one was done on a cloudy day with no artifical light sources. 3d view here.

 

 You can also download the model files and use them with your own 3d software here: dropbox. If you have VR, why not try sticking it in there, and blow it up to the size of a house! =o)

 

Photogrammetry Test: Glue Fungus

 

Glue fungus - Hydnoporia corrugata 

   

note: the white blobby stuff on the undeside of the twig is not real - it is an artifact caused by not being able to get a clear photo from beneath the subject.

If you would like to download the model - perhaps to view with different software, maybe even a vr headset - it should be available from dropbox - photgrammetry.

Photogrammetry Test - Ricasolia amplissima

 I'm experimenting with using photogrammetry for fungi and lichens:

 

 Ricasolia amplissima:

   

If you would like to download the model - perhaps to view with different software, maybe even a vr headset - it should be available from dropbox - photgrammetry.