A forest rarely receives fertilizer, yet enormous trees can keep growing for decades or even centuries. Every year they produce new leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, and wood, all of which require nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. So where do those nutrients keep coming from? Much of the answer lies in nutrient … Read more
When people picture a healthy forest, they usually notice what is above the ground first: tall trunks, green leaves, dense canopies, and young seedlings. Yet much of what determines whether those trees can survive is happening beneath their feet. Forest soil is far more than dirt holding trees upright. It stores water, supplies mineral nutrients, … Read more
A forest can look calm from the outside, but every patch of green is part of an ongoing competition. Tall trees stretch toward the sun, seedlings wait for openings in the canopy, and roots spread through the soil searching for moisture and minerals. This hidden struggle helps explain how forest plants compete for light, water, … Read more