The level of nutrients in the soil is of great significance to the composition of the vegetation. In this chapter I discuss why calcareous soils have a greater diversity of species than acid soils in Europe, whereas in Australia the opposite is true. One of the explanations to the great species diversity among plants is that there are many ways of adapting to the nutrient levels in the soil. Mycorrhizal fungi in the soil can also be a determining factor for diversity, but the conditions are different in Europe and America. During my walks in Hörjelgården, a farm where land is used in the same way as in the 1700s, I reflect on why the agricultural landscape has become increasingly species-poor. I also consider the adaptations of plants during hikes in the mountains and on the limestone plain of Öland. Sometimes, plants can indicate the presence of metals in the ground and there are several examples of how they have helped geologists to locate valuable ore. The chapter concludes with an example in which a beautiful ridge landscape is exploited and converted into an open sand quarry. When the sand quarry is later abandoned, it turns into an attractive area for solitary bees, where children’s games create the conditions for the bees’ survival.