This wood is a fundamental material that enables trees to grow tall and reach light, avoiding shade from nearby plants. Since light is essential for photosynthesis, trees have evolved to develop strong, lofty trunks to claim a place in the forest canopy.
Over the course of evolution, wood has also been selected for durability, resisting decay by fungi and bacteria. A tree’s lifespan spans hundreds or even thousands of years, during which it must endure harsh weather and countless organisms.
Thus, the weathering of wood is a gradual process that typically unfolds over years or decades, depending on climate conditions.
a food source
Present in trunks, branches, and roots, wood forms the largest share of a tree’s biomass, comprising more than 95 percent. It contains many essential elements — nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, manganese, and more. While individual concentrations are modest, the sheer amount of wood in forests makes these nutrients widely available to sustain life.
Like this, the slow decay rate of wood becomes an asset, not a problem. Nutrients are released gradually, enabling their uptake by living plants and supporting ongoing recycling. In short, wood acts as a nutrient reservoir that helps sustain soil productivity on the forest floor.
Wood does more than nourish soil. It serves as a direct food source for fungi, insects, and other organisms. These fungi and insects, in turn, feed a wide range of animals such as birds, mammals, reptiles, and additional insects. Dead wood thus underpins a complex trophic network and supports a rich forest biodiversity. Much of forest biodiversity is linked, directly or indirectly, to the presence and decomposition of dead wood.
Pillars protecting ecosystems
Wood helps shape ecosystem structure. Fallen trunks and branches alter local conditions, affecting insolation, wind, and air and soil humidity. This creates a mosaic of microhabitats that various species can occupy according to their needs.
The structural role of wood also serves as a physical barrier against herbivores, promoting forest regeneration. It adds organic matter to the soil, improving texture and porosity and supporting plant growth through improved soil structure.
dead wood is not garbage
Dead wood is an essential part of forest function, not waste. Yet, removing dead tree material remains common in forest management, especially after disturbances such as fires, pests, or storms. This practice has been widespread for decades across continents, particularly in Mediterranean regions.
The reasons for removing wood after destruction vary by region. In many cases, wood is valued for sale when the forest is exploited commercially. When there is no clear commercial use — for instance, if the wood is of poor quality or the area is protected — removal is still frequently claimed to aid future work by allowing machinery access, reducing the risk of accidents, fires, and pest spread in unburned or partially burned areas.
Leave the dead wood in the forest
Recent studies around the world challenge these blanket removal arguments, showing that decisions should be context-specific and not automatic. For example, no causal link has been proven between the mere presence of dead wood and a higher fire incidence, while leaving wood can contribute to habitat complexity and resilience after disturbances.
The risk of insect pests varies with the type of ailment. In forest fires, the most common disturbance in many regions, burnt trees rarely serve as a nursery for pests that thrive on living, stressed trees. Consequently, broad removal of dead trees is often not justified.
Finally, safety considerations remain important. Some dead trees should be removed in high-traffic or heavily visited areas or where restoration work is planned to minimize risk. Overall, ecological research supports leaving at least part of the dead wood on site to aid regeneration and sustain ecosystem services. This perspective invites a shift in deadwood management toward a more nuanced approach that respects natural processes while addressing safety concerns.
In summary, the study of forest ecology highlights that dead wood plays a vital role in forest health, regeneration, and the continued provision of ecosystem services. The stance is moving toward greater tolerance of dead wood on site as part of responsible land management and conservation policies.
Jorge Castro Gutiérrez is a Professor of Ecology at the University of Granada.