Soil, a burst of life: new course to dig into soil organisms
6 Dec 2021
Soil, a burst of life: new course to dig into soil organisms
The European Commission's Joint Research Centre launches the second of a series of courses on biodiversity: "Soils, a burst of life".
A new multi-language e-course on soil organisms enriches and completes the Joint Research Centre’s (JRC) Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on biodiversity. Published on the EU Academy, “Soil, a burst of life: the hidden world beneath our feet” reveals the ins and outs of the huge variety of species that live belowground and explains why their role is essential to all ecosystems on which plants, animals and even humans rely.

From earthworms and moles to colourful springtails and tiny bacteria, these mysterious underground residents are responsible for the health of our planet in multiple ways. They influence food production, regulate the climate and even support medicine discovery. Therefore, their protection against threats is paramount.

What is soil biodiversity and where can we find it? Why it is at risk and how can it be protected? These are some of the questions this course addresses. Through short videos, quizzes and practical activities, learners will embark onto a fascinating journey of discovery, familiarising with the European Union’s initiatives aimed at soil biodiversity protection.

The course “Soil, a burst of life: the hidden world beneath our feet” results from a collaboration between the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and teachers. This approach ensures the learning material is backed by sound scientific knowledge but reformulated for students, making it an excellent add-on to any school programme covering soil biodiversity.

The e-course is modular – its content comprises independent units of study that can be combined or taken individually at the learners’ own pace. The course currently features five languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish), with the Dutch and Portuguese versions foreseen in 2022.
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6 Dec 2021