I learned about New Zealand rainforests in my Native Plants course; how its five-layered structure (forest floor, small shrubs and trees, smaller trees and tree ferns, broadleaf canopy trees and the emergent top layer) takes maybe 120 years to reach climax formation and how species had their own 'territory' - both in latitude and altitude.
I also learned how these natural cycles were interrupted by introduced animals and humans and now my eyes are opened, it's hard to ignore what the future may hold for our heritage. If you want to help out, the Department of Conservation has plenty of volunteer projects coming up for the summer season - check out both short and long term volunteering opportunities here.
One of the life cycles that I've been looking at lately is decay; a tree dies and over the next few years the solid matter slowly but surely breaks down and becomes food for all sorts of things.
Look closely and watch a spreading mass of fungi and slime moulds...
The chemicals they release soften the bark and waste products become a slow-release fertiliser for something else. Small critters start chewing their way through and solid wood changes into soggy 'weetbix'. The critters get eaten by bigger critters who then become the next meal for insectivores and eventually the tree completely decays and provides the nutrients for the next cycle of new seedlings.
