How bacteria recycle forest litter into minerals
The decomposition of forest litter and its mineralization.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Are you “red-y” to find out?
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.About 4.6 billion years ago, a nebula collapsed. The rest is history.Media Editor: Lauren Sims
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.What is that light in the sky?
-
© MinuteEarth (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Trees have to cope with extreme temperatures, water availability, and other seasonal changes.
-
Temponaut: Sebastian Skuhra (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Time-lapse video showing the decomposition of a watermelon, a pineapple, strawberries, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables.
-
Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, MainzLearn how fruit trees are pruned.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.The role of fungi in the decomposition of forest litter.
Transcript
NARRATOR: The dead leaves, branches, and twigs that fall from trees create a layer of litter on the forest floor. This forest litter serves as a home for invertebrates such as millipedes, centipedes, and ants, as well as microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria. All of these creatures help break down the litter into materials that can be reused by other organisms within the forest ecosystem.
As the forest litter decays, it returns nutrients to the soil. During the final stage of decomposition, bacteria break down organic materials into their simplest inorganic forms, which include water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and other soil minerals; this process is called mineralization. Through mineralization the dead components of a forest are recycled to provide the living trees and plants with materials that are essential for their growth and development.
As the forest litter decays, it returns nutrients to the soil. During the final stage of decomposition, bacteria break down organic materials into their simplest inorganic forms, which include water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and other soil minerals; this process is called mineralization. Through mineralization the dead components of a forest are recycled to provide the living trees and plants with materials that are essential for their growth and development.