Life for the Loam

Abstract

Soils contain a vast biodiversity of organisms with critical roles in maintaining ecosystem health, which remains unknown to many students. Soils are also a system well-suited to introduce broader ecological concepts such as ecosystem services and the links between biodiversity and ecosystem function. In the game Life for the Loam, designed for students in grades 6–12 and early undergraduate audiences, students strive to build the healthiest soil by introducing creature cards to boost their soil’s structure, nutrients, and food web. Gameplay introduces students to a wide array of soil organisms, and the ecosystem services each provides, and lets them build diverse communities for maximum environmental benefit.