Ecosystems aren't green; they are black and brown, at least in the colour palette favoured by Diana Wall. Wall, a soil ecologist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, spends her days digging into the world's underground ecosystems. These beiges, ochres and charcoals reflect a three-dimensional mosaic of micro-environments, each with its unique set of inhabitants. But very little is known about these inhabitants. Understanding soil is a matter of rising urgency. A July report from the US National Research Council listed soil quality as the biggest barrier to higher crop yields for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. And knowing what myriad organisms live in the soil, and how they interact, is crucial to creating a healthy ecosystem.
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