Level 1 Reading 6A

Ch.11

Reading 6A IN ONE CUBIC FOOT In any environment—forest, mountain, water—you always see the big animals first: birds, mammals, fish. But under your feet, both on land and in the water, there are many smaller organisms: insects, tiny plants, miniature sea creatures. They may seem unimportant, but, in fact, these sea creatures and ground dwellers are "the heart of life on Earth," according to naturalist E. O. Wilson. Without them, our world would be a very different place. The Cycle of Life Most organisms on Earth live on the ground or just below it. Here, they are part of an important cycle. When plants and animals die, they fall to the ground. Later, tiny insects and other organisms break down the dead plant and animal material. This process eventually returns nutrients to the soil and gives living plants energy. These plants can then help to maintain a healthy environment for humans and other animals.

Discoveries in a Cube Despite their importance, scientists know very little about most ground organisms. To learn more, photographer David Liittschwager went to different places around the world, including a forest and a coral reef. In each place, he put a green 30-centimeter cube on the ground or in the water. Then he and his team counted and photographed the organisms that lived in or moved through the cube. Often they discovered hundreds of organisms, some only a millimeter in size. "It was like finding little gems," he says. Coral Reef Moorea, French Polynesia Here, Liittschwager photographed over 600 creatures in the cube. The team identified as many as possible, but it was difficult. Many of the animals they found were new species. Tropical Cloud Forest Monteverde, Costa Rica There are many different types of plants in this region. Almost 125 species that live here are found nowhere else on Earth.

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