Floral Splendour and Shortage of Nutrients - Soil: Reflections on the Basis of our Existence - page 37

Floral Splendour and Shortage of Nutrients

At midsummer the flower was herself,
her wingbeats the essence of summer.
From sprout to seed she flew
on red poppy wings.

Harry Martinson

Abstract The level of nutrients in the soil is of great significance to the composi-
tion of the vegetation. In this chapter I discuss why calcareous soils have a greater
diversity of species than acid soils in Europe, whereas in Australia the opposite
is true. One of the explanations to the great species diversity among plants is that
there are many ways of adapting to the nutrient levels in the soil. Mycorrhizal
fungi in the soil can also be a determining factor for diversity, but the conditions
are different in Europe and America. During my walks in Hörjelg￥rden, a farm
where land is used in the same way as in the 1700s, I reflect on why the agricul-
tural landscape has become increasingly species-poor. I also consider the adapta-
tions of plants during hikes in the mountains and on the limestone plain of Öland.
Sometimes, plants can indicate the presence of metals in the ground and there
are several examples of how they have helped geologists to locate valuable ore.
The chapter concludes with an example in which a beautiful ridge landscape is
exploited and converted into an open sand quarry. When the sand quarry is later
abandoned, it turns into an attractive area for solitary bees, where children's games
create the conditions for the bees' survival.

Carpets of Flowers in Sarek and on Öland

When hiking in Sarek National Park, majestic mountains with evocative names like
Akka, Sarvatj￥kk￥ and Pierikpakte surround you. For all the grandeur, there is scen-
ery on a smaller scale that is also worth watching, though you may have to look care-
fully. After hiking for hours, the white petals of a mountain avens suddenly appear at
your feet. Is the flower growing here by coincidence or because the soil is different?

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