Etienne Psaila
Beneath forests, fields, gardens and city streets lies an extraordinary world that most of us rarely see. Soil is far more than dirt. It is a living system filled with branching roots, microscopic organisms, burrowing animals and fungal threads finer than human hairs. Together, these hidden communities break down dead material, recycle nutrients, hold water and support nearly every plant growing on land. In The Secret World Beneath Our Feet, readers will journey down through the layers of the ground to discover how rock becomes soil, how roots find water and nutrients, why earthworms and insects reshape the earth, and how bacteria and fungi help power underground food webs. They will explore the remarkable partnerships between plants and mycorrhizal fungi and examine what scientists really know about claims that trees communicate through underground networks. The journey also reveals how soil has supported farming and human civilisation, what happens when it is eroded, compacted, polluted or made too salty, and how damaged land can gradually recover. Accurate, vivid and filled with fascinating examples, this book transforms the ground beneath our feet into a hidden landscape of movement, competition, cooperation and renewal. It is an engaging introduction to soil ecology for young readers, families, teachers and anyone curious about the unseen life that supports our living planet.
