ABSTRACT
A forest is a biological community dominated by trees. When we enter a forest, we first see a physical structure and composition of tall and short plants taking up space in various configurations of openness or tightness. In this setting, we most likely will observe some very busy birds and small mammals letting us know that we are intruders in their environment. As we continue walking through the area, we might sense that this forest is a place of calmness and serenity where nothing is happening. But, masked by the physical environment is a complex system of energy flow and nutrient cycling finely tuned to maintaining a state of equilibrium to local conditions of competition, death, and renewal-unseen but taking place in our presence. Some trees may be in the process of becoming snags, and several snags may have already become decaying logs. In the decomposing residue, there may be a young seedling getting established that will start the birth, death, and decay process again.
