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Beyond soil structure, soils host an array of unseen organisms that are key components to plant and ecosystem functions. The microbiome is also a reservoir for antibiotics, with potentially new antibiotics being developed from soil samples submitted from citizen scientists. |
Look Out for these Digging Critters Many recognizable urban wildlife will burrow underground for shelter and food, such as coyotes, foxes, snakes, amphibians and armadillos. But invertebrates are also well adapted to life underground for all or part of their life cycles.
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Citizen Science Anyone can participate, and they are keen on encouraging school groups and science classes to join collectively. Track and follow updates for the soil submissions through their websites.
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Get Dirty! It's easy to find some dirt to explore. Events like the Tough Mudder, where runners charge through muddy obstacle courses that range from 1 mile in length to 24 hours in duration occur yearly. These types of events have entry fees, and training prior to doing an event is encouraged in order to prepare yourself for the physical demands. Looking for something a bit more relaxing? If you have a patch of soil to call your own, see this helpful guide from the Dallas County Master Gardener's Association describing what can or should be done to your garden patch each month.
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The hidden half of nature : the microbial roots of life and health
by David R. Montgomery
Taking readers through major milestones in agriculture and medicine, an award-winning science writer and a biologist/environmental planner team up to present an examination into microbes and how, by cultivating the beneficial microbes that make soil and keep us healthy, we can suture rifts never meant to be.
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Dirt work : an education in the woods
by Christine Byl
When she takes a seasonal job with the National Park Service as a "trail dog" in Montana's Glacier National Park, the author quickly learns how to thrive as a woman in a "man's job", meeting a colorful cast of characters along of way.
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Business & Technology Division,Dallas Public Library 1515 Young St., 5th Floor Dallas, Texas 75201 214-670-1400www.dallaslibrary.org |
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