My photo from 2019 shows a #treetrunk in the #Berlin #winter, which has not fallen off all its dried #autumnleaves. In autumn, many #deciduous #trees cork the xylem connections of their leaves so that they do not evaporate more water than the tree can absorb through its roots. The #withered #fallenleaves serve as a #microhabitat for specialized #decomposing #soilorganisms. If old leaves remain on the tree, the organisms there will begin #decomposition processes.

© #StefanFWirth Berlin 2019/2024