Why is leaf litter so important for wildlife?

Autumn is here and the leaves are beginning to fall but what’s hiding just beneath that crispy, crunchy surface and why is leaf litter so important?
Ellie, from Lancashire Wildlife Trust, tells us more...

Carpets of colourful leaves underfoot are the epitome of autumn as deciduous trees prepare for the long winter ahead.

Nature is nothing but resourceful. Whilst the trees may be done with their leaves for the time being, it’s certainly not long before other wildlife is taking advantage of this new leafy blanket.

Providing a warm, safe place to shelter from the elements, leaf litter supports a whole range of species – a hidden world of litter critters snuggled amongst the foliage.

Comma butterfly on a tree branch copyright Janet Packham — Comma butterfly © Janet Packham

Butterflies

Whilst some species of butterfly, like the painted lady, may migrate here in summer, others stay with us year-round, overwintering in their egg, caterpillar, pupal or adult form depending on the species.

During winter, leaf litter provides the perfect places to remain concealed until the spring. The most common way for butterflies to spend their winter is as a caterpillar, some will even continue to feed whilst its mild but most will become dormant in a state known as ‘diapause’.

Toad in leaf litter credit Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography — Toad in leaf litter © Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

Toads

Common toads spend the majority of their time living in deep leaf litter, conserving as much energy as possible. They re-emerge for the mating season in early spring, migrating back to the pond in which they were spawned.

Hedgehog in autumn leaf litter credit jon hawkins - surrey hills photography — Hedgehog in autumn leaf litter © Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs use leaf litter to build their nests. They will spend the winter hibernating, surviving off their fat reserves. During this time their breathing will slow and the heart-rate and body temperatures will drop. Depending on the weather, hedgehogs will emerge from March onwards.

But it’s not just warmth that leaf litter provides – for some creatures, leaf litter is also an important source of food. Enter the detritivors and decomposers!

Detritivores, ingest and digest decomposing plant matter whilst decomposers, such as fungi, directly absorb nutrients through chemical and biological processes. Both are incredibly important; breaking down the leaf litter and recycling the nutrients back into the soil.

Woodlouse

Woodlice are detritivores and feed on leaf litter. Closely related to crabs, lobsters and shrimp, woodlice are mainly active at night and breathe through their knees!

There are several different species of woodlouse including: pill, common rough (pictured) and common shiny.

Amethyst deceiver

A flash of violet, amethyst deceiver can be seen growing in leaf litter during late summer and autumn. Fungi belong to their own kingdom, absorbing their nutrients directly from organic matter.

Perhaps we can agree that leaf litter is the one type of litter we can tolerate? It might look messy to some but there’s far more to these leaf piles than meets the eye.

Before you dive in head first, give the leaves a good kick or start to tidy up, perhaps spare a thought for what’s hiding amongst them.