Radiolab Forests on Forests
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Apr 24, 2026 
Nalini Nadkarni, an ecologist who pioneered canopy research, recalls climbing into treetops and finding mossy soils, roots, and whole gardens in the sky. She describes tracing roots from branches back into trees. Short, surprising snapshots explore rich canopy soils, unexpected wildlife, and how trees tap these sky gardens during scarcity.
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Childhood Curiosity Led Nalini Into The Canopy
- Nalini Nadkarni describes climbing into old-growth maples with modified mountain-climbing gear to study the canopy firsthand.
- She sat anchored on branches, cutting moss samples and discovering a dense living world overhead that she had only imagined as a child.
Branches Hold Real Soil Pockets
- Nalini found that mats of moss on branches had accumulated real soil up to a foot deep, not just dead moss or bare wood.
- That soil formed over years from decomposing moss and leaves, creating garden-like pockets high in the canopy.
Canopy Soils Support Diverse Airborne Ecosystems
- Researchers found canopy soils in redwood forests up to three feet deep supporting flowers, berry bushes, mosses, and salamanders that never touch the ground.
- They even discovered tiny aquatic copepods swimming in moss mats, baffling scientists about their origin.