Discovery of two new kinds of mole in Turkey underlines importance of soil as a vital habitat – Scotsman comment

Talpa hakkariensis and Talpa davidiana tatvanensis can cope with searing heat and bitter cold

The single most biodiverse habitat on Earth is perhaps an unlikely one: soil. According to recent research, it is home to an estimated 59 per cent of life, from tiny microbes to mammals.

Now scientists have added two previously unknown creatures to the list. Talpa hakkariensis, a new species of mole, and Talpa davidiana tatvanensis, a subspecies, were found living in the mountains of eastern Turkey, where they cope with summer temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius as well as heavy winter snowfalls. The UK has only one species of mole, Talpa europaea, but there are actually 18 Eurasian species and subspecies, following the discovery of these latest two.

In a world facing an extinction crisis, it’s good news for biodiversity to find new kinds of life. Sufficient genetic diversity can help plants and animals cope with even quite extreme shocks to the system. Subterranean life is also a reminder of the importance of soil, which is key to the production of about 95 per cent of food. An estimated third of soils globally are degraded for various reasons, including pollution, acidification and erosion.