The Fallen Tree - The Natural Flow of a Woodland Ecosystem

A large piece of tree deadwood on the floor of an unmanaged, endangered woodland, Essex, UK.

Originally, the striking reds of the leaves from a tree trunk which had fallen to the ground, is what caught my attention about this scene.

Yet, upon further reading, it turned out to be fallen deadwood, which is apparently crucial to the woodland, as they hold a reservoir of nutrients which are gradually released into the woodland floor as the deadwood begins to decompose. As soon as they are released, they are absorbed and reused by living trees and other plants to promote new growth.

If wood did not decay, the ecosystem of our woodland would soon run out of nutrients, so decomposition is an essential part of the recycling process.