Burrowers by Mari Eckstein Gower

Each time I dig in my garden, I'm reminded how alive and dynamic the soil is. As I work I encounter the obvious burrowers: rabbits, moles and other small mammals. My compost pile wriggles with insect life. But I've learned that soil is also home to less visible creatures such as: bacteria, algae, fungi, and protozoa. Using biochemical processes such as nitrogen fixation, these organisms affect the structure and stability of soil. They contribute to plant growth and the success of the overall soil ecosystem. By many estimates, two thirds of the earth's biodiversity lives in soil. These living communities help determine the unique character and geographic profile of soil worldwide. Although one gram of soil can contain billions of microorganisms, most of them are yet to be cataloged. This means there is much for us to discover about the creatures that live in soil. For example: some of the oldest and largest creatures on the planet are underground masses of the fungus armarilla.