Leaf Litter

 

This article was written by Makala

Every fall, in gardens, parks and forests, leaves float down

from the trees and lie thick on the ground. We call this layer

of dead leaves “leaf litter”. Yet, amazingly, by spring almost all the

leaves seem to have disappeared. What happened?

What happened is one of nature’s most important activities –

the leaves were being made into new soil!

Leaf litter quickly becomes food for decomposers such as

bacteria, fungi and many small animals. As the decomposers

digest the nutrients (food) in the leaves that were once part

of trees, they return those nutrients back into the soil. The nutrients

in the soil feed the trees and become part of the trees once again.

This recycling of nutrients is what keeps a forest alive and growing.

We’re on the hunt for decomposers and other ‘small game’ so the first thing we should do is to print out

the Life in the Leaf Litter ID card on the NatureKids website www.naturekidsbc.ca.

 Then pack up some ‘inspectigating’ tools such as a

 magnifying glass, some small clean containers (with

 lids), a plastic spoon, a soft paint brush, a trowel, a

 sheet of paper towel to lay out the tools and a white

plastic tub to store it all in. And your camera!

Now to find a good area for our Leaf Litter safari, for

instance under a grove of trees where the leaves have

been piling up and have often been rained upon. This

has created the perfect habitat for decomposers, those

tiny “recycling-crew” members we are looking for. They

find the damp, dark environment with lots of hiding places

amongst the fallen leaves and twigs just perfect for doing their work.

When you have found a good shady spot, lay your tools out on the paper towel and see if you can

find any ‘action’. Sit quietly for a few minutes until your eye catches some movement.

Use your trowel to disturb the leaf litter gently. Can you see any

organisms moving around? If yes, dig down into the soil a little way

and collect a trowel-full of the leaf litter where the organisms are active.

Make sure you include all the layers.

Spread out your sample of leaf litter in a really thin layer over the

bottom of the tub so there is still some white showing. Use the

paint brush to gently sweep any escapers back into the tub.

Now sit and watch as the tiny inhabitants, decomposers and

 their predators, start to move around trying to hide. Using the

spoon, put some critters into the small containers and put the

lids on so you can keep hunting.