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Which is more alive: a live tree or a dead one? The answer might surprise you. In a live tree, only a thin layer of wood and bark grow and transport water and nutrients from roots to leaves. A dead tree teems with life: insects, fungi, bacteria and other organisms. Many downed trees have verdant carpets of plants draped across their surfaces.
Dead trees take a long time to disappear, allowing new life to spring up within them.Image credit: NSF H.J. Andrews LTER Site
