Under Your Feet

DECOMPOSING

Millipedes eat plant material such as dead leaves.

2

Broken up

At night, soil-animals such as millipedes and earthworms shred the dead leaves into small pieces

to eat. This also makes the leaves easier to eat for other soil-dwellers.

1

From tree to floor

In the autumn, many leaves burst into red, orange, and yellow colours. This means they’re almost ready to drop from trees and shrubs. Soon, they will die and fall to the ground.

3

Down into the soil

Earthworms gather the leaves and bits of leaves into heaps, called middens, on the soil surface. Bit by bit, the middens are dragged into the burrows.

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020-021_Decomposing.indd 20 31/10/2019 14:04