Sixty years ago, the island of Surtsey was born of a volcanic eruption. It would’ve remained a bleak, barren place were it not for bird droppings which created a tiny ecosystem in which plants, insects, and birds now thrive. It’s a compelling example of the way that animals distribute nutrients around the globe through their poop. In other instances, carcasses nourish many forms of life around them, especially during and after a migration. In this episode, we’ll find wonder around the world in quite unlikely places.