The World Beneath Your Feet

What looks like ordinary dirt is actually the result of an incredibly slow and complex natural process. In this episode of Wild Spaces, we uncover how rock is broken down by weather, water, and biological activity, how dead plants and animals are transformed into organic matter, and how countless organisms—from fungi and bacteria to earthworms and other soil animals—help create the living world beneath our feet. Soil formation depends on five major factors: parent material, climate, organisms, topography, and time, and developing mature soil can take hundreds to thousands of years. So the next time you pick up a handful of dirt, remember—you’re holding the product of geology, biology, and time working together. . . . . . . . . . . . . Sources ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Soil Facts . USDA NRCS — Soil Handbook . FAO — How Is Soil Formed? . FAO — The State of Knowledge of Soil Biodiversity . FAO — Soil Biodiversity Facts and Figures