Leaf Litter Decomposition

In the woods, the decomposition of leaves is one of the major sources of nutrients for the forest.  Leaves are broken down by insects and other various decomposers.  The organic nutrients are returned to the soil as free ions.  The nutrients are used by plants as a form of natural fertilizer.  

As the diagram shows, the leaves go through a transformation from fresh leaves to unrecognizable plant material.  As the decomposers decompose the leaves, the leaves break down slowly loosing their defined shape until they look like dirt. The final product, dirt, is simply the broken down nutrients of dead leaves, trees, and other various organic material.