Rocks State Park

I took this picture at Rocks State Park in Hartford County, MD on October 14th. I am relating this photo to the UN SDG #15, which is Life on Land. This goal is to sustainably maintain forests, diminish desertification, and end land degradation and biodiversity loss. This is an important goal because forests provide many ecosystem services and aid nutrient cycles. Forests are also very important for climate change, as they act as a carbon sink. In addition, forests have high biodiversity as they provide habitats for thousands of species.

While I was hiking, I took this picture of a forested area in the park. I noticed a tree that looked like it had been cut down, as shown in the photo. The tree is covered in moss and algae and is very slowly decomposing into the soil. Even though the tree was cut down and did not fall on its own, it is still undergoing the processes of the nitrogen and carbon cycles. The tree contains nitrogen compounds that were obtained through its roots when it was alive. The nitrogen is re-entering the soil as microorganisms are breaking down the organic matter. The decomposition of the tree is also part of the carbon cycle, as the carbon in the organic matter is converted into CO2 when decomposers break it down. Even though decomposition adds more CO2 into the atmosphere, it is part of the forest ecosystem and will re-enter the carbon cycle. This photo relates to the UN’s goal, as nutrient cycles are very important to the planet, and a fallen tree is a part of those cycles.

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