During the late summer , the author sailed to the Antarctic South Shetland Islands to survey the microorganisms living in marine ( tidal pools ) and freshwater ( moss saturated with snow melt ) environmental niches . Equipped with a microscope to take video of samples within hours of collection to capture a pristine condition , the authors found a dense and diverse ecology that included species with unique patterns of locomotion . Capturing the organism 's movement expedited identification , but it also showed the dynamic way each organism 's mobility fit together like a puzzle to create a complex ecosystem .