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Article: There's Life in Those Dead Logs!
- Article from:
- Science and Children
- Article date:
- April 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 National Science Teachers Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Devin Biggs, Todd Miller, and Dee Hall
If asked to describe the natural features of forests, students might start out by mentioning familiar plants and animals such as trees, mammals, birds, and flowers. Dead trees are not likely to make that list. Although it is unspectacular in appearance, dead wood is one of the most ecologically important resources in forests. Fallen logs, dead standing trees, stumps, and even cavities in live trees fulfill a wide range of roles. Prominent among these is that they provide habitat for many organisms, especially insects.
Fourth-grade students at Fox Prairie Elementary School in Stoughton, Wisconsin, discovered ...