#soilbiodiversity — Public Fediverse posts

Counting, sorting, identifying. 🤓
Time to check all the collected #alpine #SoilFauna from soil samples and pitfall traps from the Ben Avon plateau in the #CairngormsNationalPark in #Scotland .
After a nice sampling season, I am sitting in the soil labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute in #Aberdeen . Very promising first results already! 🤞

#AlpSoil_Lab #BEN_EAF #SoilMesofauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Counting, sorting, identifying. 🤓
Time to check all the collected #alpine #SoilFauna from soil samples and pitfall traps from the Ben Avon plateau in the #CairngormsNationalPark in #Scotland .
After a nice sampling season, I am sitting in the soil labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute in #Aberdeen . Very promising first results already! 🤞

#AlpSoil_Lab #BEN_EAF #SoilMesofauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Counting, sorting, identifying. 🤓
Time to check all the collected #alpine #SoilFauna from soil samples and pitfall traps from the Ben Avon plateau in the #CairngormsNationalPark in #Scotland .
After a nice sampling season, I am sitting in the soil labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute in #Aberdeen . Very promising first results already! 🤞

#AlpSoil_Lab #BEN_EAF #SoilMesofauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Counting, sorting, identifying. 🤓
Time to check all the collected #alpine #SoilFauna from soil samples and pitfall traps from the Ben Avon plateau in the #CairngormsNationalPark in #Scotland .
After a nice sampling season, I am sitting in the soil labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute in #Aberdeen . Very promising first results already! 🤞

#AlpSoil_Lab #BEN_EAF #SoilMesofauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Counting, sorting, identifying. 🤓
Time to check all the collected #alpine #SoilFauna from soil samples and pitfall traps from the Ben Avon plateau in the #CairngormsNationalPark in #Scotland .
After a nice sampling season, I am sitting in the soil labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute in #Aberdeen . Very promising first results already! 🤞

#AlpSoil_Lab #BEN_EAF #SoilMesofauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Six years ago, I bought my first second-hand camera and lens, and gave macrophotography a try. I had no idea that it would change my life, that my photos would be exhibited and used in media around the world and even eventually lead to me becoming an author!

This week, I find myself back in the location where it all started, and feeling very nostalgic. So, I thought why not take some new photos and see how they compare to my earliest shots! What differences do you see, except that they're slightly different species?

#Macrophotography #SoilBiodiversity #Nature #Entomology #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

Six years ago, I bought my first second-hand camera and lens, and gave macrophotography a try. I had no idea that it would change my life, that my photos would be exhibited and used in media around the world and even eventually lead to me becoming an author!

This week, I find myself back in the location where it all started, and feeling very nostalgic. So, I thought why not take some new photos and see how they compare to my earliest shots! What differences do you see, except that they're slightly different species?

#Macrophotography #SoilBiodiversity #Nature #Entomology #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

Six years ago, I bought my first second-hand camera and lens, and gave macrophotography a try. I had no idea that it would change my life, that my photos would be exhibited and used in media around the world and even eventually lead to me becoming an author!

This week, I find myself back in the location where it all started, and feeling very nostalgic. So, I thought why not take some new photos and see how they compare to my earliest shots! What differences do you see, except that they're slightly different species?

#Macrophotography #SoilBiodiversity #Nature #Entomology #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

Six years ago, I bought my first second-hand camera and lens, and gave macrophotography a try. I had no idea that it would change my life, that my photos would be exhibited and used in media around the world and even eventually lead to me becoming an author!

This week, I find myself back in the location where it all started, and feeling very nostalgic. So, I thought why not take some new photos and see how they compare to my earliest shots! What differences do you see, except that they're slightly different species?

#Macrophotography #SoilBiodiversity #Nature #Entomology #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

Less than 3 weeks to go until the UK release of my debut book THE WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET! And only a month later, it'll hit bookshops across the US and Canada 🥰

There's still time to reserve your own copy of the hardcover (preorders are super important!), so you can enjoy it on the day of release! And if you're coming to one of my UK events, I'll very happily sign your copy.

I can't stop looking at my early copies, they're just so pretty. Though I can't claim the credit for the book's exquisite presentation: the production team at Hodder Press have given everything to this - generously using gold foil to further accent the stunning cover art by Holly Ovenden. They even accommodated my last-minute request to use an earthworm illustration by the wonderful Morgane Merien for each chapter's section breaks!

Reserve your copy today, and come join me on an awe-inspiring journey into the mysterious world of soil!

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #Science #Nature #NatureBook #booksbooksbooks #Soil #SoilBiodiversity #Author

Less than 3 weeks to go until the UK release of my debut book THE WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET! And only a month later, it'll hit bookshops across the US and Canada 🥰

There's still time to reserve your own copy of the hardcover (preorders are super important!), so you can enjoy it on the day of release! And if you're coming to one of my UK events, I'll very happily sign your copy.

I can't stop looking at my early copies, they're just so pretty. Though I can't claim the credit for the book's exquisite presentation: the production team at Hodder Press have given everything to this - generously using gold foil to further accent the stunning cover art by Holly Ovenden. They even accommodated my last-minute request to use an earthworm illustration by the wonderful Morgane Merien for each chapter's section breaks!

Reserve your copy today, and come join me on an awe-inspiring journey into the mysterious world of soil!

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #Science #Nature #NatureBook #booksbooksbooks #Soil #SoilBiodiversity #Author

Less than 3 weeks to go until the UK release of my debut book THE WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET! And only a month later, it'll hit bookshops across the US and Canada 🥰

There's still time to reserve your own copy of the hardcover (preorders are super important!), so you can enjoy it on the day of release! And if you're coming to one of my UK events, I'll very happily sign your copy.

I can't stop looking at my early copies, they're just so pretty. Though I can't claim the credit for the book's exquisite presentation: the production team at Hodder Press have given everything to this - generously using gold foil to further accent the stunning cover art by Holly Ovenden. They even accommodated my last-minute request to use an earthworm illustration by the wonderful Morgane Merien for each chapter's section breaks!

Reserve your copy today, and come join me on an awe-inspiring journey into the mysterious world of soil!

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #Science #Nature #NatureBook #booksbooksbooks #Soil #SoilBiodiversity #Author

Less than 3 weeks to go until the UK release of my debut book THE WORLD BENEATH OUR FEET! And only a month later, it'll hit bookshops across the US and Canada 🥰

There's still time to reserve your own copy of the hardcover (preorders are super important!), so you can enjoy it on the day of release! And if you're coming to one of my UK events, I'll very happily sign your copy.

I can't stop looking at my early copies, they're just so pretty. Though I can't claim the credit for the book's exquisite presentation: the production team at Hodder Press have given everything to this - generously using gold foil to further accent the stunning cover art by Holly Ovenden. They even accommodated my last-minute request to use an earthworm illustration by the wonderful Morgane Merien for each chapter's section breaks!

Reserve your copy today, and come join me on an awe-inspiring journey into the mysterious world of soil!

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #Science #Nature #NatureBook #booksbooksbooks #Soil #SoilBiodiversity #Author

How many different versions of soils were there at the beginning of terrestrial ecosystems?

https://matthiasrillig.substack.com/p/how-many-different-versions-of-soils?r=1yu2t7

#soil #ecosystems #soilBiodiversity

How many different versions of soils were there at the beginning of terrestrial ecosystems?

https://matthiasrillig.substack.com/p/how-many-different-versions-of-soils?r=1yu2t7

#soil #ecosystems #soilBiodiversity

How many different versions of soils were there at the beginning of terrestrial ecosystems?

https://matthiasrillig.substack.com/p/how-many-different-versions-of-soils?r=1yu2t7

#soil #ecosystems #soilBiodiversity

How many different versions of soils were there at the beginning of terrestrial ecosystems?

https://matthiasrillig.substack.com/p/how-many-different-versions-of-soils?r=1yu2t7

#soil #ecosystems #soilBiodiversity

How many different versions of soils were there at the beginning of terrestrial ecosystems?

https://matthiasrillig.substack.com/p/how-many-different-versions-of-soils?r=1yu2t7

#soil #ecosystems #soilBiodiversity

JOIN ME ON TOUR!

I'll be back in the UK in early September to do some public events for my new book The World Beneath our Feet. Tickets are available online now for these events, and I'd love to see you there.

These will be a mixture of talks and conversation-style interviews, with some supported by exhibitions of my soil animal macrophotography - its promising to be great fun!

I have a couple of spare dates, so DM me ASAP if your institution or bookshop are interested in hosting an event, and we'll see what's possible.

#TheWorldBeneathourFeet #Author #ScienceCommunication #SciComm #Nature #Soil #SoilBiodiversity

JOIN ME ON TOUR!

I'll be back in the UK in early September to do some public events for my new book The World Beneath our Feet. Tickets are available online now for these events, and I'd love to see you there.

These will be a mixture of talks and conversation-style interviews, with some supported by exhibitions of my soil animal macrophotography - its promising to be great fun!

I have a couple of spare dates, so DM me ASAP if your institution or bookshop are interested in hosting an event, and we'll see what's possible.

#TheWorldBeneathourFeet #Author #ScienceCommunication #SciComm #Nature #Soil #SoilBiodiversity

JOIN ME ON TOUR!

I'll be back in the UK in early September to do some public events for my new book The World Beneath our Feet. Tickets are available online now for these events, and I'd love to see you there.

These will be a mixture of talks and conversation-style interviews, with some supported by exhibitions of my soil animal macrophotography - its promising to be great fun!

I have a couple of spare dates, so DM me ASAP if your institution or bookshop are interested in hosting an event, and we'll see what's possible.

#TheWorldBeneathourFeet #Author #ScienceCommunication #SciComm #Nature #Soil #SoilBiodiversity

JOIN ME ON TOUR!

I'll be back in the UK in early September to do some public events for my new book The World Beneath our Feet. Tickets are available online now for these events, and I'd love to see you there.

These will be a mixture of talks and conversation-style interviews, with some supported by exhibitions of my soil animal macrophotography - its promising to be great fun!

I have a couple of spare dates, so DM me ASAP if your institution or bookshop are interested in hosting an event, and we'll see what's possible.

#TheWorldBeneathourFeet #Author #ScienceCommunication #SciComm #Nature #Soil #SoilBiodiversity

I recently gave a NerdNite talk about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals survive the challenges of life, and their complex (and sometimes quite romantic) love lives. I had an absolute blast, and the recording is now up on YouTube!

Warning: this was an evening talk in a pub setting, so it has some adult humour and might not be for everyone. But, if you can stomach talk about slugs chewing off their own penises, and mites constructing 'love gardens' out of their own semen, then this talk is for you!

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTIGtBXEfx4

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Nature #ScienceCommunication #SciComm #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #NerdNite #Science

I recently gave a NerdNite talk about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals survive the challenges of life, and their complex (and sometimes quite romantic) love lives. I had an absolute blast, and the recording is now up on YouTube!

Warning: this was an evening talk in a pub setting, so it has some adult humour and might not be for everyone. But, if you can stomach talk about slugs chewing off their own penises, and mites constructing 'love gardens' out of their own semen, then this talk is for you!

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTIGtBXEfx4

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Nature #ScienceCommunication #SciComm #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #NerdNite #Science

I recently gave a NerdNite talk about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals survive the challenges of life, and their complex (and sometimes quite romantic) love lives. I had an absolute blast, and the recording is now up on YouTube!

Warning: this was an evening talk in a pub setting, so it has some adult humour and might not be for everyone. But, if you can stomach talk about slugs chewing off their own penises, and mites constructing 'love gardens' out of their own semen, then this talk is for you!

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTIGtBXEfx4

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Nature #ScienceCommunication #SciComm #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #NerdNite #Science

I recently gave a NerdNite talk about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals survive the challenges of life, and their complex (and sometimes quite romantic) love lives. I had an absolute blast, and the recording is now up on YouTube!

Warning: this was an evening talk in a pub setting, so it has some adult humour and might not be for everyone. But, if you can stomach talk about slugs chewing off their own penises, and mites constructing 'love gardens' out of their own semen, then this talk is for you!

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTIGtBXEfx4

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Nature #ScienceCommunication #SciComm #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #NerdNite #Science

The cosmopolitan 'moss' springtail (Neanura muscorum) navigating a miniature forest of fungi on a decaying log. But it isn't alone — all those transparent blobs on its body are in fact curled-up, hitchhiking nematode worms (you can see these better in the second photo)!

Much like the baby mite in my last post, these tiny worms are using a larger animal to help them disperse to new environments. It's thought that this 'phoretic' behaviour might be a stepping stone in how parasitism evolved in some nematodes.

Read all about the incredible ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life, in my upcoming book #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet, which lands just one month from now!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Nature #Entomology #Soil

The cosmopolitan 'moss' springtail (Neanura muscorum) navigating a miniature forest of fungi on a decaying log. But it isn't alone — all those transparent blobs on its body are in fact curled-up, hitchhiking nematode worms (you can see these better in the second photo)!

Much like the baby mite in my last post, these tiny worms are using a larger animal to help them disperse to new environments. It's thought that this 'phoretic' behaviour might be a stepping stone in how parasitism evolved in some nematodes.

Read all about the incredible ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life, in my upcoming book #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet, which lands just one month from now!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Nature #Entomology #Soil

The cosmopolitan 'moss' springtail (Neanura muscorum) navigating a miniature forest of fungi on a decaying log. But it isn't alone — all those transparent blobs on its body are in fact curled-up, hitchhiking nematode worms (you can see these better in the second photo)!

Much like the baby mite in my last post, these tiny worms are using a larger animal to help them disperse to new environments. It's thought that this 'phoretic' behaviour might be a stepping stone in how parasitism evolved in some nematodes.

Read all about the incredible ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life, in my upcoming book #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet, which lands just one month from now!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Nature #Entomology #Soil

The cosmopolitan 'moss' springtail (Neanura muscorum) navigating a miniature forest of fungi on a decaying log. But it isn't alone — all those transparent blobs on its body are in fact curled-up, hitchhiking nematode worms (you can see these better in the second photo)!

Much like the baby mite in my last post, these tiny worms are using a larger animal to help them disperse to new environments. It's thought that this 'phoretic' behaviour might be a stepping stone in how parasitism evolved in some nematodes.

Read all about the incredible ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life, in my upcoming book #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet, which lands just one month from now!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Nature #Entomology #Soil

How about a cheeky bit of mite-on-mite action to help with the midweek slump?

This hard-bodied oribatid mite has an uninvited hitchhiker taking it for a ride. The stowaway is a juvenile dust mite (Astigmatina), which is using a special pair of suction pads to keep it tightly clamped onto its host. It’s so well adapted for hitching a lift, that it has entirely given up on feeding during transit, with its mouthparts reduced and its digestive system effectively shut down.

The baby mite will stay clamped on like this until its host arrives at greener pastures, where it will then drop off, regrow its feeding ability and eventually develop into an adult.

The scientific term for this hitchhiking behaviour is 'phoresy', and plenty of soil animals do it - but mites have arguably perfected it. When you're this tiny, it really pays to outsource your means of travel!

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #Macrophotography #SoilEcology #Nature #NaturePhotography #Entomology #Acarology

How about a cheeky bit of mite-on-mite action to help with the midweek slump?

This hard-bodied oribatid mite has an uninvited hitchhiker taking it for a ride. The stowaway is a juvenile dust mite (Astigmatina), which is using a special pair of suction pads to keep it tightly clamped onto its host. It’s so well adapted for hitching a lift, that it has entirely given up on feeding during transit, with its mouthparts reduced and its digestive system effectively shut down.

The baby mite will stay clamped on like this until its host arrives at greener pastures, where it will then drop off, regrow its feeding ability and eventually develop into an adult.

The scientific term for this hitchhiking behaviour is 'phoresy', and plenty of soil animals do it - but mites have arguably perfected it. When you're this tiny, it really pays to outsource your means of travel!

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #Macrophotography #SoilEcology #Nature #NaturePhotography #Entomology #Acarology

How about a cheeky bit of mite-on-mite action to help with the midweek slump?

This hard-bodied oribatid mite has an uninvited hitchhiker taking it for a ride. The stowaway is a juvenile dust mite (Astigmatina), which is using a special pair of suction pads to keep it tightly clamped onto its host. It’s so well adapted for hitching a lift, that it has entirely given up on feeding during transit, with its mouthparts reduced and its digestive system effectively shut down.

The baby mite will stay clamped on like this until its host arrives at greener pastures, where it will then drop off, regrow its feeding ability and eventually develop into an adult.

The scientific term for this hitchhiking behaviour is 'phoresy', and plenty of soil animals do it - but mites have arguably perfected it. When you're this tiny, it really pays to outsource your means of travel!

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #Macrophotography #SoilEcology #Nature #NaturePhotography #Entomology #Acarology

How about a cheeky bit of mite-on-mite action to help with the midweek slump?

This hard-bodied oribatid mite has an uninvited hitchhiker taking it for a ride. The stowaway is a juvenile dust mite (Astigmatina), which is using a special pair of suction pads to keep it tightly clamped onto its host. It’s so well adapted for hitching a lift, that it has entirely given up on feeding during transit, with its mouthparts reduced and its digestive system effectively shut down.

The baby mite will stay clamped on like this until its host arrives at greener pastures, where it will then drop off, regrow its feeding ability and eventually develop into an adult.

The scientific term for this hitchhiking behaviour is 'phoresy', and plenty of soil animals do it - but mites have arguably perfected it. When you're this tiny, it really pays to outsource your means of travel!

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #Macrophotography #SoilEcology #Nature #NaturePhotography #Entomology #Acarology

This adorable little creature is one of New Zealand's endemic giant springtails, but it's not just ANY giant springtail...

I first discovered this springtail population two years ago, living up in the few remaining patches of native forest in the Port Hills of Christchurch. This put them on the map - nobody had ever seen them near the city before, so it was a wonderful surprise to find them there!

They appear a lot smaller than other members of their species that I've found elsewhere, making me wonder if they're undergoing a form of island dwarfism in the small, fragmented areas of bush. Maybe these ones aren't so 'giant' after all...

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #Entomology #SoilFauna #Macrophotography

This adorable little creature is one of New Zealand's endemic giant springtails, but it's not just ANY giant springtail...

I first discovered this springtail population two years ago, living up in the few remaining patches of native forest in the Port Hills of Christchurch. This put them on the map - nobody had ever seen them near the city before, so it was a wonderful surprise to find them there!

They appear a lot smaller than other members of their species that I've found elsewhere, making me wonder if they're undergoing a form of island dwarfism in the small, fragmented areas of bush. Maybe these ones aren't so 'giant' after all...

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #Entomology #SoilFauna #Macrophotography

This adorable little creature is one of New Zealand's endemic giant springtails, but it's not just ANY giant springtail...

I first discovered this springtail population two years ago, living up in the few remaining patches of native forest in the Port Hills of Christchurch. This put them on the map - nobody had ever seen them near the city before, so it was a wonderful surprise to find them there!

They appear a lot smaller than other members of their species that I've found elsewhere, making me wonder if they're undergoing a form of island dwarfism in the small, fragmented areas of bush. Maybe these ones aren't so 'giant' after all...

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #Entomology #SoilFauna #Macrophotography

This adorable little creature is one of New Zealand's endemic giant springtails, but it's not just ANY giant springtail...

I first discovered this springtail population two years ago, living up in the few remaining patches of native forest in the Port Hills of Christchurch. This put them on the map - nobody had ever seen them near the city before, so it was a wonderful surprise to find them there!

They appear a lot smaller than other members of their species that I've found elsewhere, making me wonder if they're undergoing a form of island dwarfism in the small, fragmented areas of bush. Maybe these ones aren't so 'giant' after all...

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #Entomology #SoilFauna #Macrophotography

If you'd like a little more info about my upcoming book 'The World Beneath our Feet', I recently did a double-page interview with Booktime Magazine. While the publication is indie bookshop-focused, the interview should still be of interest to a general reader!

Online PDF accessible here (article on pages 4&5): https://indd.adobe.com/view/4d4f24a5-81df-4661-a722-52134018c54c

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #NatureBooks #NonFiction #SciComm

If you'd like a little more info about my upcoming book 'The World Beneath our Feet', I recently did a double-page interview with Booktime Magazine. While the publication is indie bookshop-focused, the interview should still be of interest to a general reader!

Online PDF accessible here (article on pages 4&5): https://indd.adobe.com/view/4d4f24a5-81df-4661-a722-52134018c54c

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #NatureBooks #NonFiction #SciComm

If you'd like a little more info about my upcoming book 'The World Beneath our Feet', I recently did a double-page interview with Booktime Magazine. While the publication is indie bookshop-focused, the interview should still be of interest to a general reader!

Online PDF accessible here (article on pages 4&5): https://indd.adobe.com/view/4d4f24a5-81df-4661-a722-52134018c54c

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #NatureBooks #NonFiction #SciComm

If you'd like a little more info about my upcoming book 'The World Beneath our Feet', I recently did a double-page interview with Booktime Magazine. While the publication is indie bookshop-focused, the interview should still be of interest to a general reader!

Online PDF accessible here (article on pages 4&5): https://indd.adobe.com/view/4d4f24a5-81df-4661-a722-52134018c54c

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #SoilBiodiversity #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #NatureBooks #NonFiction #SciComm

Field work seems to be over for now in our #BEN_EAF outgoing mobility project in the #Cairngorms, #Scotland.

We did sample soil for #eDNA #metabarcoding and collected our pitfall traps.

It was a great and quite warm weather! 😎

Next: do some invertebrate identification in the labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute .

#AlpSoil_Lab #Highlands #ScottishHighlands #SoilFauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Field work seems to be over for now in our #BEN_EAF outgoing mobility project in the #Cairngorms, #Scotland.

We did sample soil for #eDNA #metabarcoding and collected our pitfall traps.

It was a great and quite warm weather! 😎

Next: do some invertebrate identification in the labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute .

#AlpSoil_Lab #Highlands #ScottishHighlands #SoilFauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Field work seems to be over for now in our #BEN_EAF outgoing mobility project in the #Cairngorms, #Scotland.

We did sample soil for #eDNA #metabarcoding and collected our pitfall traps.

It was a great and quite warm weather! 😎

Next: do some invertebrate identification in the labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute .

#AlpSoil_Lab #Highlands #ScottishHighlands #SoilFauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Field work seems to be over for now in our #BEN_EAF outgoing mobility project in the #Cairngorms, #Scotland.

We did sample soil for #eDNA #metabarcoding and collected our pitfall traps.

It was a great and quite warm weather! 😎

Next: do some invertebrate identification in the labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute .

#AlpSoil_Lab #Highlands #ScottishHighlands #SoilFauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Field work seems to be over for now in our #BEN_EAF outgoing mobility project in the #Cairngorms, #Scotland.

We did sample soil for #eDNA #metabarcoding and collected our pitfall traps.

It was a great and quite warm weather! 😎

Next: do some invertebrate identification in the labs of the #JamesHuttonInstitute .

#AlpSoil_Lab #Highlands #ScottishHighlands #SoilFauna #SoilBiodiversity #MountainSoilBiodiversity

Did you know that the European mole (Talpa europaea) has a toxin in its saliva which paralyses earthworms, their favourite food? The moles may then store the paralysed earthworms in special 'larder' chambers within their burrows, where they are kept alive and fresh until later consumption. These larders have been reported to contain many hundreds of earthworms at a time!

When it's time to visit their pantry for a snack, these moles have a clever trick to make sure they don't consume all the unpleasant soil stuck inside the paralysed earthworm's guts... by rolling the earthworm between their powerful front paws, they forceably squeeze the soil out of the worm, making their meal much less gritty!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #MacroFauna #Nature #MacroPhotography #NaturePhotography

Did you know that the European mole (Talpa europaea) has a toxin in its saliva which paralyses earthworms, their favourite food? The moles may then store the paralysed earthworms in special 'larder' chambers within their burrows, where they are kept alive and fresh until later consumption. These larders have been reported to contain many hundreds of earthworms at a time!

When it's time to visit their pantry for a snack, these moles have a clever trick to make sure they don't consume all the unpleasant soil stuck inside the paralysed earthworm's guts... by rolling the earthworm between their powerful front paws, they forceably squeeze the soil out of the worm, making their meal much less gritty!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #MacroFauna #Nature #MacroPhotography #NaturePhotography

Did you know that the European mole (Talpa europaea) has a toxin in its saliva which paralyses earthworms, their favourite food? The moles may then store the paralysed earthworms in special 'larder' chambers within their burrows, where they are kept alive and fresh until later consumption. These larders have been reported to contain many hundreds of earthworms at a time!

When it's time to visit their pantry for a snack, these moles have a clever trick to make sure they don't consume all the unpleasant soil stuck inside the paralysed earthworm's guts... by rolling the earthworm between their powerful front paws, they forceably squeeze the soil out of the worm, making their meal much less gritty!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #MacroFauna #Nature #MacroPhotography #NaturePhotography

Did you know that the European mole (Talpa europaea) has a toxin in its saliva which paralyses earthworms, their favourite food? The moles may then store the paralysed earthworms in special 'larder' chambers within their burrows, where they are kept alive and fresh until later consumption. These larders have been reported to contain many hundreds of earthworms at a time!

When it's time to visit their pantry for a snack, these moles have a clever trick to make sure they don't consume all the unpleasant soil stuck inside the paralysed earthworm's guts... by rolling the earthworm between their powerful front paws, they forceably squeeze the soil out of the worm, making their meal much less gritty!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #MacroFauna #Nature #MacroPhotography #NaturePhotography

If you ever get the chance to speak at or attend a 'Nerd Nite' event, I strongly recommend it, the vibes are excellent!

Recently, I spoke with the wonderful audience at Nerd Nite Christchuch all about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life belowground (and, in the case of tardigrades, on the moon!).

There'll be a YouTube video of the talk at some point, so look out for that if you want to hear about record-breaking mites, and far too many graphic details about earthworm sex, mite 'love gardens' and banana slugs chewing off their own penises...

#SoilBiodiversity #ScienceCommunication #NerdNite #Science #Nature #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

If you ever get the chance to speak at or attend a 'Nerd Nite' event, I strongly recommend it, the vibes are excellent!

Recently, I spoke with the wonderful audience at Nerd Nite Christchuch all about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life belowground (and, in the case of tardigrades, on the moon!).

There'll be a YouTube video of the talk at some point, so look out for that if you want to hear about record-breaking mites, and far too many graphic details about earthworm sex, mite 'love gardens' and banana slugs chewing off their own penises...

#SoilBiodiversity #ScienceCommunication #NerdNite #Science #Nature #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

If you ever get the chance to speak at or attend a 'Nerd Nite' event, I strongly recommend it, the vibes are excellent!

Recently, I spoke with the wonderful audience at Nerd Nite Christchuch all about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life belowground (and, in the case of tardigrades, on the moon!).

There'll be a YouTube video of the talk at some point, so look out for that if you want to hear about record-breaking mites, and far too many graphic details about earthworm sex, mite 'love gardens' and banana slugs chewing off their own penises...

#SoilBiodiversity #ScienceCommunication #NerdNite #Science #Nature #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

If you ever get the chance to speak at or attend a 'Nerd Nite' event, I strongly recommend it, the vibes are excellent!

Recently, I spoke with the wonderful audience at Nerd Nite Christchuch all about the weird and wonderful ways soil animals have adapted to the challenges of life belowground (and, in the case of tardigrades, on the moon!).

There'll be a YouTube video of the talk at some point, so look out for that if you want to hear about record-breaking mites, and far too many graphic details about earthworm sex, mite 'love gardens' and banana slugs chewing off their own penises...

#SoilBiodiversity #ScienceCommunication #NerdNite #Science #Nature #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

Turn over any rotting log and you might find these beautiful structures, although you'll need a decent lens to appreciate them. Known as the common coral slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa) based on its coral-like appearance, this slime mold species is truly cosmopolitan, with a global distribution (this photo was taken in New Zealand).

The common coral slime was first described in 1729 by Pier Antonio Micheli, the Italian botanist who discovered fungal spores and is considered the 'founding father' of mycology — the branch of biology which concerns fungi.

#SoilBiodiversity #Mycology #Fungi #SlimeMolds #MacroPhotography #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

Turn over any rotting log and you might find these beautiful structures, although you'll need a decent lens to appreciate them. Known as the common coral slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa) based on its coral-like appearance, this slime mold species is truly cosmopolitan, with a global distribution (this photo was taken in New Zealand).

The common coral slime was first described in 1729 by Pier Antonio Micheli, the Italian botanist who discovered fungal spores and is considered the 'founding father' of mycology — the branch of biology which concerns fungi.

#SoilBiodiversity #Mycology #Fungi #SlimeMolds #MacroPhotography #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

Turn over any rotting log and you might find these beautiful structures, although you'll need a decent lens to appreciate them. Known as the common coral slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa) based on its coral-like appearance, this slime mold species is truly cosmopolitan, with a global distribution (this photo was taken in New Zealand).

The common coral slime was first described in 1729 by Pier Antonio Micheli, the Italian botanist who discovered fungal spores and is considered the 'founding father' of mycology — the branch of biology which concerns fungi.

#SoilBiodiversity #Mycology #Fungi #SlimeMolds #MacroPhotography #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

Turn over any rotting log and you might find these beautiful structures, although you'll need a decent lens to appreciate them. Known as the common coral slime (Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa) based on its coral-like appearance, this slime mold species is truly cosmopolitan, with a global distribution (this photo was taken in New Zealand).

The common coral slime was first described in 1729 by Pier Antonio Micheli, the Italian botanist who discovered fungal spores and is considered the 'founding father' of mycology — the branch of biology which concerns fungi.

#SoilBiodiversity #Mycology #Fungi #SlimeMolds #MacroPhotography #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet

It's only two months now until the UK/Commonwealth and EU release of The World Beneath our Feet, and the US & Canada release is just a month after that! It's all feeling very real all of a sudden.

I'll be back in the UK in September, with lots of exciting book promotion on the horizon. Pre-orders are SUPER IMPORTANT, so if you or someone you care about would like a book about soil and the incredible life it contains, please go reserve a copy from your preferred book seller now!

(PS: It's got lots of my macrophotography in it too)

#TheWorldBeneathOurFeet #Soil #SoilBiodiversity #Macrophotography #Nature #NatureBook #booksbooksbooks #AuthorLife #NaturalHistory #NonFiction