8 Unusual Mushrooms You Might Find in the Wild
A mushroom that resembles a bird’s nest filled with tiny eggs. Another that melts into black ink. A strange, star-shaped fungus that opens when conditions are right. These are not …
Forest Ecology
The White Ants That Build Living Soil: How Termites Help Forests Thrive
Beneath fallen logs, inside decaying tree trunks, and throughout the soil of tropical forests, millions of tiny insects are quietly transforming dead plant material into resources that support living ecosystems. …
What Are Lichens? The Fascinating Partnership Growing on Trees and Rocks
Lichens may look like ordinary plants, mosses, or colorful stains on rocks, but they are something far more unusual. They are not plants, and a lichen is not a single …
Salamanders of North America: The Extraordinary Amphibians Hidden Beneath Forests, Streams, and Wetlands
Introduction Few groups of animals are as mysterious—or as frequently overlooked—as salamanders. Hidden beneath moss-covered logs, tucked into leaf litter, or gliding silently through cool mountain streams, these remarkable amphibians …