Beckon seasons
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Beckon seasons are the five parts of the year as defined by the activity of Beckons: Upspring, Fullbloom, Ingather, Fallow and Overwinter. The division was drawn up by the Hyperbiology Division of H&A in 2022 from its measurements of Beckon growth, output and gas stores through the year. Since the Earth's orbit began to change and the calendar months stopped matching the seasons, they have been used alongside day-count dating in H&A and Federation planning.
The seasons vary in length. Fullbloom is the longest, and the quieter phases are short. Beckons remain active through all five.
The seasons
- Upspring. Growth resumes. Adapted Beckons refill the gas cells they drew on through the winter, from the sulfate and fluoride they kept.
- Fullbloom. The longest season, with the highest rates of luxsynthesis, growth and production of field organisms. The gas glands make most of the year's sulfur hexafluoride.
- Ingather. Beckons stock biomass in the root mat and fill their gas cells for the winter.
- Fallow. A short, quieter phase. Production slows without stopping.
- Overwinter. Beckons draw on stored biomass and stored gas for energy and heat, and continue to produce organisms. Adapted Beckons break down part of their sulfur hexafluoride, and by the end of the season are measurably softer and lean in the wind. In hard cold their tendrils fold over the bulb. Beckons of the Boreic genome remain fully active.
Measurement
Hyperbiology assigns the season from field measurements: the pressure and temperature of Adapted Beckons, the brightness of their glow, and the rate at which field organisms emerge from the ground. Seasons begin on different days in different regions, and the dates for each region are published by the division.
Use
H&A and Federation agencies use the Beckon seasons to plan agriculture, logistics and military operations. Field clearance is scheduled around them: burning is most effective in late Overwinter, when Beckons have the least gas in reserve.