by Matteo Cavallito<\/p>\n
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Live plant roots are as important as dead leaves in sustaining tropical soil biodiversity<\/strong>. This is the main conclusion of a study<\/a> carried out by a team of researchers at the initiative of the University of G\u00f6ttingen, Germany, and published in the journal Ecology Letters.<\/p>\n “Millions of small creatures toiling in a single hectare of soil including earthworms, springtails, mites, insects, and other arthropods are crucial for decomposition and soil health,” a statement<\/a> from the German university explains. “For a long time, it was believed that leaf litter is the primary resource for these animals. However, this recent study is the first to provide proof that resources derived from plant roots<\/strong> drive soil animal communities in the tropics.”<\/p>\n