White Oaks grow 50'- 80', with an equal spread. A mature, healthy tree can have 200,000 leaves each year. During 60 years of life, such a tree would grow and shed 3,600 pounds of leaves That would be approximately 120,000,000 leaves. A grove of trees in a park had approximately three to five such large oaks in an area 40 by 40 feet 40 ft. That would be 600,000 to a 1,000,000 leaves each year in an area a little larger than this classroom Biology: Bio" means "life". "ology" means "the study of". So Biology is the study of life Degrade: to decompose or break down Biodegradable: Able to be decomposed by living things Organism: any living thing Micro-organism: A form of life that can only be seen with the aid of a microscope, such as bacteria, fungi, molds, and parasites Organic: Composed of matter that is alive or was once alive. Inorganic: All things such as air, water, minerals, and metals, that are neither living organisms or products by living things. Waste: Anything that is discarded because it is used up or no longer needed Nutrients: Substances like vitamins and minerals that all living things need for growth and life Recycle: Convert waste into reusable material. Most of the tiny animals that are found in leaf litter are invertebrates, meaning that they lack a backbone. Some of these little critters feed on the litter and break it up into smaller pieces. Microscopic organisms like bacteria and fungi then decompose the litter, converting it into beneficial chemicals and minerals that can be absorbed by plants. Animals you may find living in leaf litter include slugs and snails, worms, animals with jointed legs (like millipedes and centipedes), spiders and beetles. The type and amount of organisms found varies with time of year. Some animals spend their entire lives in soil and leaf litter, while others are found there only at certain points in their lives. Some use the litter specifically for nesting or hibernating. // That even the Mighty Oak Was once a nut like me recyclers-5th-grade-chapter-1-flash-cards/recyclers-5th-grade-chapter-1-flash-cards/