Decaying stumps
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| Common name | Spruce; Fir |
| Scientific name | Picea; Abies |
| Taxonomic group | Pinaceae |
| Source | Dan L. Perlman |
| Ecosystems | Forests |
| Forests | Temperate coniferous forest |
| Nutrient cycles | Nitrogen; Carbon; Decomposition |
| Change over time | Decomposition |
| Lessons | Decomposers and detritivores |
| Date | October 1998 |
| Location | Vermont,USA,North America |
Decay and growth in spruce-fir forest, Vermont. As trees and other living organisms die, they are slowly decomposed by a host of fungi, bacteria, and detritus-eating arthropods. The nutrients from this decomposing material become part of the soil, until they are taken up again by living organisms. Without this process of nutrient recycling, the plants in this image would not survive and the scene would be barren.
