All forests are born and die, also without human help. Fire, earthquakes, storms, floods or poison gas from volcanoes clear forests away. The empty places are occupied by newly born pieces of forest. The young ones grow up to resemble the old parts of the forest, but are not completely the same, just like your mother and you. However, they all have to face the same kind of environment.
Roots operate in the soil, providing water and nutrients.
Tree crowns rise high in the air, amidst light and oxygen. The home of roots and the home of leaves and flowers both crawl, bristle and swarm with life. Roots live among bacteria, fungi, insects, worms and others creatures, sometimes closely associated. Associations of roots with micro-organisms absorb water and process nutrients. Most nutrients from the soil are built into such nitrogen-rich substances as vitamins, proteins and their building blocks, aminoacids.