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Maples, oaks and other trees are now, for the most part, barren. In residential landscapes, fallen leaves have been raked, bagged, and sent to the dump. The lawn reigns. But in the forest, it’s a different story.
During your next walk in the woods, look underfoot. Over the next six months, the leaves blanketing the forest floor will break down slowly. The riot of reds, oranges, and yellows will turn to brown. That frees up essential nutrients that enrich the forest’s trees and soil.
Ecologists call fallen leaves “leaf litter.” In this case, “litter” is actually good, and it’s one of the most important parts of the temperate forest.
Thousands of tiny organisms, fungi, and insects dwell in the litter layer. They release the carbon and nitrogen in the leaves that helps enrich the soil. SUNY-ESF soil scientist Russell Briggs says trees then recycle the nutrients…
“These trees are fairly deep-rooted and it’s almost like a deep nutrient pump. So the nutrients are pumped up and collected below ground and deposited above ground and that continually cycles. So it’s almost like these trees are mining from deeper and enhancing the upper layers.”
A healthy litter layer also plays an important role in increasing the soil’s ability to hold water, and keeping the forest floor moist and cool during the spring and summer.
Next time you think about bagging the fallen leaves in your yard, consider composing them instead. This keeps valuable nutrients onsite for next year’s tree growth.
Photo, taken on November 1, 2009, courtesy of Gayle via Flickr.