How much life could you find in One Cubic Foot?

Photo by David Littschwager

Edward O. Wilson:

Life at the ground level is not just a random mix of species, not an interspersion of fungi, bacteria, worms, ants, and all the rest. The spe­cies of each group are strictly stratified by depth. In passing from just above the surface on down, the conditions of the microenvironment change gradually but dramatically. Inch by inch there are shifts in light and temperature, the size of the cavities, the chemistry of the air, soil, or water, the kind of food available, and the species of organisms. The combination of these properties, down to a microscopic level, defines the surface ecosystem.

The goal for the Encyclopedia of Life is to create a page for each species on earth.

More: deciduous forest, coral reef, tropical cloud forest, mountain fynbos, fresh water

via National Geographic