My 10 days in Costa Rica were spent traveling to different national parks, conservation areas and reservations examining the beautiful country and all that its ecosystems had to offer. The most interesting topic I discovered about Costa Rica wasn’t the wildlife or the breathtakingly beautiful views. It was actually the soil.

There is not one place in all 50 U.S. states that has an oxisol, but in the tropical jungles of Costa Rica they are everywhere! Oxisols being highly weathered and leached soils help to explain why the majority of plants in tropical rainforests have shallow root systems. But these weren’t even the most unique soils in the tropical jungles. High above our heads on the branches of mature trees grew plants that are referred to as epiphytes. These plants helped to create a histic type of soil on the branches called canopy soil. Yep, that’s right, soil forming without the weathering of rock, tens of feet above the ground, composed almost entirely of organic matter.

On our trip to Poás Volcano, I was able to see the best soil profile of an andisol that I have ever seen. The different layers had a variety of colors and kept a great natural record of previous volcanic events. There was even a layer that was yellow! Even though Costa Rica may be similar in size to West Virginia, the amount of biodiversity above and below the ground was incredible. From seeing all kinds of unique and colorful wildlife to the variety of different soils, Costa Rica was able to give me an experience I can take with me for a lifetime.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: CAFNR: Tropical Ecology and Conservation in Costa Rica