A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine.     May Theme: "Roots"     Volume 1 Issue 4     ISSN# 1708-3265

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Illuminations Aleesha Stephenson About the Cover Bob Harbinson How Far Must We Walk? Lynne Gordon-Mündel Exploring the World UNDER our Feet David Suzuki PhD Our Reiki Conversation Featuring: 5 Reiki Master/Teachers Stop the Promotion of Bottles Heather Coleman Grounded Parenting Annie Parry Grounding: Assistance for your Chakras Donna Doherty Grounding Techniques for Our Animal Companions Dr. Jean Hofve DVM Cultivating Your Own Tarot Meanings Susan Goldman Eller, M.A. RMT Meditate a Moment: With Your Children Featuring: Aleesha Stephenson Cherishing the Earth Toria Betson Lifetalks Dawn Baumann Brunke Walk Your Talk Aleesha Stephenson Aunty Nasty Nasturtium Blackwitt Poetic License Our diverse group of talent The Envelope, Please... A Profile Featuring: Changeling Baraka DVD Ron Fricke Chakra Chants I & II Jonathon Goldman Astral Travelling Richard Webster Mapping Your Birthchart Stephanie Jean Clement, Ph.D. Universal Waite Tarot Stuart R. Kaplan The Tarot of Dürer Art by Giacinto Gaudenzi The Mayan Oracle Ariel Spilsbury and Michael Bryner

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One of the hallmarks of the human species is our intense curiosity. It has driven us to explore the far reaches of the globe, the depths of the oceans and even pushed us into space. It has also rewarded us with tremendous insights into the workings of our own bodies, the structure of matter and the birth of the universe.

Yet in spite of our impressive capacity to learn and explore, we still know very little about many of the basic underpinnings of life on Earth. In fact, some of the most poorly understood habitats on the planet are right under our feet - the top metre of soil in our forests, fields and gardens - and just over our heads in the forest canopy.

The composition of our soils is actually crucial to how the ecosystems above ground function. In fact, some of the most important interactions between plants occur underground. Similarly, interactions between organisms in the forest canopy are also crucial because this is where photosynthesis takes place - where sunlight is captured and converted into chemical energy - one of the greatest energy pumps on the planet.

As human populations expand, resources become more scarce and the climate changes, it becomes more and more important for us to understand how organisms interact in these crucial areas. Then we may better learn to work within the boundaries of natural systems without degrading them.

Researchers have recognized this need. In August 2000, the president of the Ecological Society of America called for a major expansion in soil ecology research. That's an important step, because we have a long way to go before we understand the intricate relationships between soil organisms, plants, animals and the atmosphere.

For example, scientists are only now beginning to uncover the dynamics of mycorrhizal fungal communities. These amazing organisms intertwine themselves with the fine roots of trees, forming a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship. The fungi feed on sugars from the tree roots, (which are produced in the tree canopy through photosynthesis), while extracting vital nutrients like phosphorous from the soil and making them available to the tree in a usable form.

The fungi are also believed to protect the trees from pathogens, increase water absorption and release a protein which helps stabilize soil. Over time, the fungi can expand into a great filigree-like web that covers a huge area of soil. In fact, researchers believe that mycorrhizal fungi effectively connect trees with up to 1,000 times more soil than just the roots themselves!

Mycorrhizae are also a key component in the transfer of carbon from plants into soil. This is an important factor to consider because, as we increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, more carbon will be taken up by plants and find its way into the soil.

But how will this increase in carbon affect soils? That's a difficult question, according to an article in the Journal Nature. At this time, soils are an important reservoir for carbon, but if that changes due to an increased rate of carbon cycling, soils could become less effective at storing carbon, causing more carbon dioxide to be released, which could speed up global warming.

Another important question is how that extra carbon could affect soil biodiversity. Just one square metre of soil can contain thousands of species of bacteria and other microorganisms. Soil is alive - a complex community of organisms. Researchers are just now starting to figure out where organisms go and what they do. It's a difficult process - as one researcher points out, you can't put a radio tracking collar on a bacterium.

But then, scientific discovery is rarely easy. On the surface, soil may seem like a mundane research topic, but there are literally thousands of discoveries waiting to be made underground. Perhaps it's time we turned our curious eyes downwards.



David T. Suzuki PhD, the Chair of the David Suzuki Foundation, is an award-winning scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster. David has received consistently high acclaim for his thirty years of award-winning work in broadcasting; explaining the complexities of science in a compelling, easily understood way. He is well known to millions as the host of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's popular science television series, The Nature of Things. Take the Nature Challenge and learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org

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