Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 4
The Smallest Zoo and Botanical Microgardens
Across any of the diverse landscapes of Earth's continents, we cannot fi nd the exten-
sive assortment of life forms that exists within any one soil. Using the language of
science, we say that the greatest
biodiversity
within any region of the Earth can
always be found in soils. Scientifi cally,
edaphon
refers to everything that is alive in
any soil. The word is derived from Greek
edaphos
meaning soil and
on
which is
analogous to plankton. When we classify edaphon in the simplest way, we list
phy-
toedaphon
and
zooedaphon
. The prefi x
phyto
was derived from the Greek
phuto
meaning plant or something that has grown. Subsequently, the word appeared as
phyto
when transcribed into scientifi c Latin
.
The Greek
zoon
is a living creature or
an animal.
The organisms comprising two components of edaphon transform all organic
compounds in soil. Their quantity and species composition are responsible for the
intensity of all transformation processes including the weathering of rocks. Their
“home” is one or more soil pores, i.e., the space between soil particles not occupied
by organic matter. Soil pores are either completely or only partially fi lled by water.
If the pores are full of water, the soil is waterlogged, and without any air in its pores,
the soil suffers a lack of oxygen. Processes proceeding without oxygen are called
anaerobic. The literary translation is “without air”; the Greek
aer
is air, or the con-
tent of lower atmosphere that we breathe; roughly the same is
aeros
. The Greek
prefi x
an
means no or absence of. Aerobic processes occur when pores partly fi lled
by water also contain air with enough oxygen for aerobic conditions.
Because of their microscopic and even much smaller sizes, the great majority of
edaphon is not visible to the naked eye. Without ever seeing such infi nitesimal
organisms or witnessing the minuscule domains in which they induce aerobic and
anaerobic processes, the lay public frequently underestimates or is completely
unaware of the irreplaceable role of edaphon. Without edaphon, soils cannot develop
or exist.
