Abstract
The soil beneath our feet still requires more exploration, although we know that it is home to a vast number of organisms. It is basically a black box we cannot see into to observe its inhabitants and the processes they contribute to. In this article, we will tell you about soils that are even less explored. We are talking about mountain soils at high elevation: they are not easily accessible but harbor many exciting species, some of which are specialized to live only in mountain soils. We are a team of soil ecologists who dedicate our research to revealing the secrets of animals living in mountain soils. We will tell you which and how many soil critters can be found in high-elevation soils of the European Alps, in both natural mountain ecosystems and those used for farming. Further, we explain some clever ways these species have adapted to the harsh alpine environment.