A ‘ground-breaking’ animation revealing the living world hidden beneath crops has been published by AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds.

Developed as part of the organisation’s ‘going underground’ display at Cereals 2015, the video allows growers to sneak a peek at what lives under their boots.

Amanda Bennett, AHDB research manager, said: “2015 is the International Year of Soils, which aims to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of soil.

“So much happens underground but most of the activity passes by unnoticed – even when it is having a visible impact, such as limiting yields.

“By highlighting what is happening down there, we want to strengthen the discussion about how we harness the power of soil organisms to provide essential ecosystem services – such as food provision.”

The online video reveals this underworld through a creative lens that zooms in to show life visible to the naked eye right through to microscopic life.

The animation commences with the relatively large ‘structural engineers’ (macrofauna), which include earthworms.

One hectare of fertile farmland contains as many as 4.3 million worms – all busy tunnelling and creating essential channels for air, water and roots.

The story continues with mesofauna (0.1mm–6mm). This include mites which play a key role in the breakdown of organic matter and the cycling of nutrients.

Finally, the incredibly small micro world features with the spotlight on nematodes.

These microfauna (0.005–0.1mm thick) can perform several important ecological functions – including the transmission of soil-borne viruses and the predation of other soil organisms.

Dr Bennett concluded: “Soil is alive and science continues to improve our knowledge so we are better placed to manage the complex interaction between soil organisms and crops.”

The animation was created as part of the organisation's four-year national programme of soil management research.

Commissioned in 2012, the programme looks to put growers in a better position to understand and manage soils.

Watch the video below: