Soil & nature cycles · Decomposition
Where do fallen leaves go?
A leaf with holes shows Puschel that woodland materials are used again.
The short answer
Soil animals break up old leaves; fungi and bacteria decompose them further. Materials change and nutrients become available again. Leaves do not simply disappear: they enter a cycle.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Puschel finds a leaf with almost only its veins left. Puschel“Has someone put windows in it?” Flauschi looks more closely.
They talk about who helps work on old leaves. Puschel does not look for one winner. The leaf reminds him of a shared task.
Puschel“No cleaning crew with brooms,” he says. Puschel“But still lots of work.” They leave the leaf and its neighbours in peace.
Little Wusel quiz
Do earthworms decompose leaf litter all by themselves?
Show answer
No. Different animals, fungi and bacteria help.
Word help
- humus
- Greatly transformed remains of living things in soil.
- nutrient
- A substance a living thing needs to grow and live.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Understand step by step
How it works – simply explained
Small animals break pieces up
Some soil residents eat or shred dead leaves, providing more surfaces for further processing.
Fungi and bacteria decompose
They break down substances in remains, releasing some nutrients for plants and gases into the surroundings.
Rates differ
Moisture, temperature and leaf type affect decay. Some material contributes to humus. The leaf does not simply remain whole but invisible underground.
References for this explanation: [1]
The key points again
Discover
Dead leaves are broken up and decomposed by different soil organisms, including small animals, fungi and bacteria.
Understand
Decomposition makes nutrients available to plants again. Some material contributes to humus formation.
Connections
Leaves do not disappear overnight. Their type, moisture and temperature influence how quickly they break down.