MICROSCOPIC MARVELS
Discover Possibility
Microscopic Marvels
Nematodes are among the most abundant and diverse multicellular animals on the planet, inhabiting terrestrial soils and aquatic sediments across a remarkable range of environments. Although nematodes play significant roles in ecosystem functioning, they remain severely under-described. The Sandhills Region of Nebraska is one of the largest intact temperate grasslands in the world, covering more than a quarter of the state’s land area. The landscape of the Sandhills consists of grass-covered shifting sand dunes interspersed with a wide diversity of aquatic habitats, including alkaline lakes, wetlands, streams, rivers, and rare Sandhills fens. The diversity of aquatic habitats within the intact grassland, a habitat type that is in decline globally, offers a unique opportunity for discovery of the novel diversity of nematodes and their adaptive capacity.
The Team
Dr. Tom Powers (PI), Dr. Dorota Porazinska (Co-PI), colleagues, students, and stakeholders have come together to find out more about a collection of nematodes that have adapted to a wide range of habitats, including the Nebraska Sandhills. The team has received three years of funding (2024-2027) from the National Science Foundation’s Poorly Sampled and Unknown Taxa (NSF PurSUiT) program (AWD# 2327478). The funding supports scientists’ discovery of biodiversity and description of poorly known species around the world. Currently, it’s estimated that scientists have described less than 30,000 nematode species on the planet.
Research Overview
The team is collecting and analyzing aquatic nematodes throughout water systems in Nebraska to determine their appearance, genetics, and connection to their surrounding environments (ecology). Together, these different pieces of information could provide insights about nematode roles in these lakes.
Educator Resources
The Microscopic Marvels educator resources are designed to bring the hidden world of nematodes and environmental science into your classroom through engaging, standards-aligned materials. Each educator packet is paired with a corresponding PowerPoint that provides scientific background, ecological context, guided discussion questions, reflection activities, and career exploration connections. Together, these resources support student engagement, critical thinking, and deeper understanding while making complex microscopic concepts accessible and interactive.
Year One: Alkaline Lakes
Our Streaming Science and Plate Basin Timelapse (PBT) science communication and natural resources conservation storytelling team developed this photo essay of the first year of data collection on the project. Check it out to for beautiful imagery of the Nebraska Sandhills and to learn about scientists’, ranchers’, students’, and communicators’ experiences and perspectives.
Streaming Science & Platte Basin Timelapse Photo Essay
Student-Produced Podcasts
University of Florida undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the Dr. Jamie Loizzo’s Podcasting to Increase Science Literacy course in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication in spring 2025 interviewed scientists, student researchers, and ranchers and produced the following Microscopic Marvels podcast series:
Listen to the podcasts in the list above or on our BuzzSprout page, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
Student-Produced Photo Essays
University of Florida – Plant City students enrolled in Dr. Shane White’s Agricultural and Natural Resources Communication Practices course in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication in spring 2025 developed the following photo essay series about year one of the project:
The students also created further nematode-focused photos essays in partnership with Dr. Johan Desaeger and his lab at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, FL:
Year Two: Springs, Streams, & Rivers
In the second year of the project, scientists visited various waterways of the Nebraska Sandhills including Skull Creek, Loup River, Snake River, Schlagel Creek, Blue Creek, Gusher Creek, and Dismal River to sample for nematodes. Our storyteller team conducted interviews with the scientists, students, and rancher partners.
Video Shorts
View these video shorts to see some of the behind-the-scenes sounds and images from years 1 and 2 field and lab work. Click on each image below to watch.
Trailer Video
At the end of the three year project, our team will release a mini-documentary to showcase the place, partnerships, process, pursuit, and preservation of the Microscopic Marvels project. You can view the trailer video by clicking here or the image below.
Trailer Video Downloadable PDF Promo Posters
Download, print, and share these posters and play the trailer video with your students, clubs, and colleagues to explore Microscopic Marvels and the world of nematodes. Use these materials as a starting point for discussions about nematodes, nematology, evolutionary ecology, soil health, agriculture, natural resources, sustainability, STEM careers, and more! Photos and poster design by UFAEC doctoral student Maggie Murphy.
Presentation
Science Communication in Action through Place-Based Partnerships, Dialogue, & Discovery
Dr. Jamie Loizzo (Co-PI) presented to the Association for Communication Excellence 2025 Level-Up ‘Communicating the Science in Agriculture’ online professional development conference and discussed the place-based communication approach of the Microscopic Marvels project. Click the image to view the presentation recording.
Continue to check back for updates!
This NSF PurSUiT project continues through 2027. We will have more field site visits in years two and three of the research with ongoing lab work, social science research, science communication, and conservation storytelling. We will continue to share more communication projects in 2026 and 2027. Continue to follow along our journey as we explore the Microscopic Marvels around us!
Funded by the National Science Foundation Poorly Sampled and Unknown Taxa (NSF PurSUiT) Award #2327478.
