The World Beneath Our Feet: A Guide to Life in the Soil [Paperback]

James B. Nardi (Author)

Book Description

Uncovering a secret world teeming with life, The World Beneath Our Feet profiles more than 100 creatures that live and work in ordinary, everyday dirt, describing a veritable underground empire just below our feet. From the smallest of bacteria to the denizens of the duff -- such as gophers and groundhogs -- each entry includes an elegant drawing of the subject, a fact box containing scientific statistics, and an essay about the life, role, and curious features of the creature. The 25-page "goings-on in the ground" section introduces the reader to soil -- what it is, how it supports life, how it evolved, and why it wears out -- and provides a context with which to understand how and why it needs the decomposing and recycling skills of animals. Appendixes discuss erosion and the dos and don'ts of composting, including how to build a compost center in your backyard. Backmatter includes a glossary of earth-related terms, websites, further reading, and an index.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up-An examination of more than 100 kinds of subterranean organisms. The first section describes in detail how soil is formed; the various types; and the symbiotic relationships between plants and, respectively, lichens, algae, bacteria, and fungi. Another chapter profiles soil microbes, invertebrates, and vertebrates. Entries describe the distinctive physical and behavioral characteristics of organisms; where they are found; and their diets, feeding methods, and roles in the ecosystem. Sidebars provide common names, scientific classification, ecological function, and more. Featured are such exotics as rotifers and tardigrades, as well as the more familiar nematodes, earthworms, dung beetles, snails, toads, and moles. "The Gift of Good Earth" discusses how problems such as soil erosion and acidity are exacerbated by conventional farming practices and suggests ways to improve conditions. The tightly organized text is clearly written, but a bit dry. The amount of detail is often staggering. One or two illustrations accompany the text on almost every page; they include meticulous pen-and-ink drawings, snapshot-sized color and black-and-white photos, plus a variety of diagrams. Students will need some background in both biology and chemistry to handle the material in this book. About three dozen of the same arthropods are included in the excellent Insects and Spiders of the World (Marshall Cavendish, 2002), but the entries do not have the same emphasis on soil ecology. Nardi's in-depth title will be a valuable reference for agricultural students and serious naturalists.
Karey Wehner, formerly at San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"The tightly organized text is clearly written...the amount of detail is often staggering....Nardi's in-depth title will be a valuable reference for agricultural students and serious naturalists." --School Library Journal

"Incredible....This scholarly but engaging in-depth study of life in the soil is lively rather than stuffy and will captivate a wide range of readers." --VOYA

"This well-designed book is a real eye-opener! Although it seems targeted to a general audience, even accomplished specialists will find it informative, because it ties together all the members of the soil community. The artwork is superb, and the organization is well thought out. The text is smooth, interesting, and a delight to read." --Science Books & Films

"Bookworm has uncovered a great library book for older children and adults that will bring soil and soil-dwellers nearer to our hearts and minds. ...Very well illustrated...The World Beneath Your [sic] Feet belongs alongside your reference books on the shelf." -- Worm Digest

"Though the subject of soil may seem dull and unenticing, Nardi approaches the topic with a deft style and attractive format....A welcome addition to a middle school and high school library collection." --Catholic Library World

"A valuable addition to any collection, The World Beneath Our Feet provides a closer view of an extraordinary world not readily visible---a world on which our lives depend." -- American Biology Teacher

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195139909
• ISBN-13: 978-0195139907
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,042,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hugely informative, February 1, 2004

By 

Valerie Adolph "Coast Journal" (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The World Beneath Our Feet: A Guide to Life in the Soil (Paperback)

If you are interested in gardening, natural history or ecology this book is a "must read". The writer, a biologist at the University of Illinois has done a masterful job of explaining just what the earth beneath our feet contains. This book is a close look at what soil is, how it evolved, how it supports life and why it wears out. It also looks at the plants and animals that form the ecosystem of healthy soil and how we can help nurture them.

The first part of the book, "Working Partnerships", explains that soil consists of minerals broken down from rocks, together with plants and their bacterial, fungal and animal partners. It also explains how soil gets its fertility. This may sound like dull stuff, but the way this writer presents it, it's as fascinating as the unravelling of a mystery.

Part Tow presents members of the soil community - microbes, invertebrates and vertebrates. You'll meet some of the most extraordinary creatures here - mother centipedes guarding and licking their eggs, termites sabotaging tropical agriculture and beetles, lots of beetles. More species of beetle inhabit the earth than any other order of animals.

The final section is titles "The gift of Good Earth" and the writer very briefly presents the concept of erosion and how humans have contributed to the degradation of the soil. Finally he offers the idea that composting is the act of creating a wildlife refuge for many of the creatures living in the soil in our won backyard. I'd never thought of it in those terms before. The book ends with a decent reading list and list of web sites.

This is a readable and intriguing resource book for the library of any gardener or naturalist.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hugely informative, February 1, 2004

By 

Valerie Adolph "Coast Journal" (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The World Beneath Our Feet: A Guide to Life in the Soil (Paperback)

If you are interested in gardening, natural history or ecology this book is a must read. The writer, a biologist at the University of Illinois has done a masterful job of explaining just what the earth beneath our feet contains. This book is a close look at what soil is, how it evolved, how it supports life and why it wears out. It also looks at the plants and animals that form the ecosystem of healthy soil and how we can help nurture them.

The first part of the book, Working Partnerships, explains that soil consists of minerals broken down from rocks, together with plants and their bacterial, fungal and animal partners. It also explains how soil gets its fertility. This may sound like dull stuff, but the way this writer presents it, its as fascinating as the unravelling of a mystery.

Part Tow presents members of the soil community - microbes, invertebrates and vertebrates. Youll meet some of the most extraordinary creatures here - mother centipedes guarding and licking their eggs, termites sabotaging tropical agriculture and beetles, lots of beetles. More species of beetle inhabit the earth than any other order of animals.

The final section is titles The gift of Good Earth and the writer very briefly presents the concept of erosion and how humans have contributed to the degradation of the soil. Finally he offers the idea that composting is the act of creating a wildlife refuge for many of the creatures living in the soil in our won backyard. Id never thought of it in those terms before. The book ends with a decent reading list and list of web sites.

This is a readable and intriguing resource book for the library of any gardener or naturalist.