And What Was Old Shall Be New Again

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A few weeks ago while outside with the dogs and experimenting with my camera I decided to revisit an tree stump I have photographed in the past as an example of the work of decomposers recycling the stump. On this day, with the capabilities of my new camera, I was able to capture the scene deep inside the stump. You can see the accumulation of leaves at the bottom of the hollow. If you look closely, you can see a leaf that appears frost rimed beneath the more recent leaf. That "frost" is actually a sign that decomposition is at work turning that leaf into humus. Not as visible in this photograph are the wafer like partitions along the sides of the hollow left behind after the softer parts of the trees interior had been consumed, leaving behind only the stiff, fibrous cellulose. Being a cold rainy day, after a short spell of freezing weather, none of the larger decomposers such as beetles were in evidence. Next spring I will check in on this stump again to see how much farther the work of its decomposition and recycling has progressed. It won't be long before the humus in the hollow will be close enough to the surface for sunlight to reach it and, just maybe, a new tree may start to grow in the heart of the old. {Previously posted on Persona Paper. Since removed from that site.}