Soil Life in Action: Bioturbation With and Without Soil Fauna
Provided by: The Kid Should See This|Published on: June 21, 2022|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Type: Articles/Websites
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology
Authors: The Kid Should See This, Wim van Egmond
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This time-lapse video demonstrates the difference between soils with and without invertebrate decomposers.
- Two additional videos and a brief article show and describe how invertebrates accelerate decomposition and why bioturbation is important for soil fertility.
- Bioturbation increases nutrients for plants, aerates the soil, allows for better water infiltration, and improves biodiversity and soil quality.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The absence of narration provides an excellent opportunity for students to describe the phenomenon they observe.
- The speed of the video can be adjusted to slow it down or speed it up, which may be helpful.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with the concept of decomposition.
Differentiation
- Since there is no audio, have students describe what they think they are observing during the first viewing of the video.
- Have students draw a diagram or picture to define what they think bioturbation is after the first viewing of the video.
- Students could investigate composting on their own or set up a composting bin/area as a class to more deeply understand the content.
- Have students describe the fungi that is decomposing leaf litter in the non-flora chamber and then show students this video about how fungi are vital to plants and this video and article about the importance of fungi for adapting to climate change.
This resource is a 2-minute time-lapse video with accompanying website that compares the impact of fauna (animals such as worms and other insects) on the biodegradation of plant matter. One chamber includes just leaf litter without insects, while another chamber includes leaf litter and insect life. A clear difference can be seen between the two chambers. Other short time-lapse videos are also included on the web page for comparison. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
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