Communities beneath our feet

Mycelium Sun by Raya Wolfsun. http://www.rayawolfsun.com/2014/04/24/mycelium-sun/

One of the most fascinating topics to me is soil.

Earth

Dirt.

But more-so what makes good soil.

Or, more accurately, who.

The soil micro- and macro-biomes are rich webs of life
Unravelling energy from the dead.
Decomposers

Little-celebrated yet immensely-important,

Decomposers are to thank for the fact
That we aren't all chin deep in refuse and dead cells.

They break down dead and dying organisms,
To process and recycle the nutrients from our bodies.

Returning the calcium in our bones,
The iron in our blood,
The nitrogen, carbon, potassium, magnesium, oxygen,
Into bio-available treats for new life to sample.

Without the cycling of nutrients,
the Earth would be a big dead thing,
All existing nutrients trapped in the dead bodies
preserved, shrivelled up in the sun.

Decomposers like bacteria, fungi, bugs and worms work hard,
chewing through the detritus of sloughed off cells.

Fungi produce hyphae, mycellium that roots and spreads through,
A connective super highway that runs all along the forest,
Conveying messages and bits and bites of energy
A transference of goods, mutual relationships.

Sugars for minerals and nutrients.
Signals are passed,calls for help,
And the forest floor provides.
Mother trees feed their children who are growing up beside them.
Helping their kin survive, since their shadow reduces the light they can eat.
Beneath the forest floor, massive webs connect
Plants that appear separate from above ground
Are synced up and speaking to each other

In languages we can't fathom to understand.