CINXE.COM
A 17-Year Study Reveals How Dead Leaves Are a Tropical Forest Lifeline | Smithsonian Voices | Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Smithsonian Magazine
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <script data-cfasync="false" type="text/javascript">(()=>{"use strict";var t={455:(t,e,n)=>{n.d(e,{Z:()=>c});var r=n(81),o=n.n(r),i=n(645),a=n.n(i)()(o());a.push([t.id,'div._82u8vq{position:fixed;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;background:rgba(0,0,0,.4);z-index:999999}div._82u8vq *{box-sizing:border-box}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g{position:fixed;top:50%;left:50%;transform:translate(-50%, -50%);display:flex;flex-direction:column;justify-content:flex-start;min-height:25vh;width:50%;background-color:#fff;border:none;border-radius:1em;box-shadow:0 0 10px rgba(0,0,0,.3);text-align:center;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-weight:bold;line-height:2;color:#000}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g *:before,div._82u8vq div.onnj2g *:after{content:"";display:none}@media screen and (max-width: 479px){div._82u8vq div.onnj2g{font-size:13px;width:90%}}@media screen and (min-width: 480px){div._82u8vq div.onnj2g{font-size:14px;width:80%}}@media screen and (min-width: 608px){div._82u8vq div.onnj2g{font-size:14px;width:70%}}@media screen and (min-width: 960px){div._82u8vq div.onnj2g{font-size:16px;width:70%}}@media screen and (min-width: 1200px){div._82u8vq div.onnj2g{font-size:16px;width:840px}}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g header{width:100%;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0);border:0;color:inherit;display:block;font-size:1em;font-family:inherit;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0;opacity:1;outline:none;padding:1em 2em;position:static;text-align:center}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g header img{display:inline;margin:0 0 16px 0;padding:0;max-width:240px;max-height:60px}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g header h2{display:block;line-height:1.3;padding:0;font-family:inherit;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:initial;text-align:center;font-size:1.75em;margin:0;color:inherit}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g header h2:not(img+*){margin-top:30px}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g header span._18hdrla{position:absolute;top:0;right:15px;font-size:2em;font-weight:normal;cursor:pointer;color:inherit}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g header span._18hdrla:hover{filter:brightness(115%)}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section{width:100%;margin:0;padding:1em 2em;text-align:center;font-family:inherit;color:inherit;background:rgba(0,0,0,0)}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section p{display:block;margin:0 0 1em 0;line-height:1.5;text-align:center;font-size:1em;font-family:inherit;color:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:initial}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section p:last-of-type{margin:0 0 1.5em 0}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section._1myx4a0{display:block}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section._1myx4a0._18mgeh5{display:none}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section._1myx4a0 a._1ajq4u1.q1a6v7{color:var(--q1a6v7)}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section._1myx4a0 a._1ajq4u1.d8c6ui{text-decoration:var(--d8c6ui)}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section._1myx4a0 a._1ajq4u1._1bva2lo:visited{color:var(--_1bva2lo)}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section._1myx4a0 div.qcqk63{display:block;margin:.75em;padding:0}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section._1myx4a0 div.qcqk63 p._1jy32sx{max-width:80%;margin:0 auto;padding:0;font-size:.85em;color:inherit;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;cursor:pointer}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi{display:block}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi._18mgeh5{display:none}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi h4.vza2sa{color:inherit;text-align:initial;font-weight:normal;font-family:inherit;font-size:1.125em;margin:0 0 .5em .5em}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr{display:flex;margin:1.5em 0}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr ul._12y6q83{max-height:300px;flex:2;list-style:none;overflow-y:auto;margin:0 1em 0 0;padding-inline-start:0}@media screen and (min-width: 608px){div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr ul._12y6q83{flex:1;margin:0 2em 0 0}}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr ul._12y6q83 li{padding:.75em;cursor:pointer;background:rgba(0,0,0,.05);font-weight:bold}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr ul._12y6q83 li:hover{background:rgba(0,0,0,.075)}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr ul._12y6q83 li._2tqkhw{color:var(--_1s2p24r);background:var(--_1u8b67d)}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr div._10v9zkx{max-height:300px;overflow-y:auto;flex:3;display:flex;flex-direction:column;justify-content:space-between;text-align:initial}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr div._10v9zkx ol._1dz8w0r{display:none;list-style-type:decimal;text-align:initial;padding:0;margin:0 2em;font-weight:normal}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr div._10v9zkx ol._1dz8w0r._2tqkhw{display:block}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi div._1n8syyr div._10v9zkx p{margin:1em 0 0;text-align:inherit;font-style:italic}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g section.mjmqhi button.te00wf{font-size:1em;text-transform:initial}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g button._16i61up{width:auto;height:auto;max-width:90%;cursor:pointer;display:inline-block;letter-spacing:normal;margin:.75em;opacity:1;outline:none;overflow-wrap:break-word;font-family:inherit;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:initial;text-transform:uppercase;text-align:center;color:#fff;font-size:1.15em;padding:.75em 2em;padding-inline:2em;padding-block:.75em;line-height:normal;background:#40c28a;border:none;border-radius:.25em;box-shadow:none}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g button._16i61up:hover{filter:brightness(115%);box-shadow:none}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g a._1o9k1ce{height:50px;width:50px;position:absolute;bottom:5px;right:5px}div._82u8vq div.onnj2g a._1o9k1ce img{position:initial;height:100%;width:100%;filter:drop-shadow(1px 1px 1px var(--_16xxoaz))}',""]);const c=a},645:t=>{t.exports=function(t){var e=[];return e.toString=function(){return this.map((function(e){var n="",r=void 0!==e[5];return e[4]&&(n+="@supports (".concat(e[4],") {")),e[2]&&(n+="@media ".concat(e[2]," {")),r&&(n+="@layer".concat(e[5].length>0?" ".concat(e[5]):""," {")),n+=t(e),r&&(n+="}"),e[2]&&(n+="}"),e[4]&&(n+="}"),n})).join("")},e.i=function(t,n,r,o,i){"string"==typeof t&&(t=[[null,t,void 0]]);var a={};if(r)for(var c=0;c<this.length;c++){var s=this[c][0];null!=s&&(a[s]=!0)}for(var u=0;u<t.length;u++){var l=[].concat(t[u]);r&&a[l[0]]||(void 0!==i&&(void 0===l[5]||(l[1]="@layer".concat(l[5].length>0?" ".concat(l[5]):""," {").concat(l[1],"}")),l[5]=i),n&&(l[2]?(l[1]="@media ".concat(l[2]," {").concat(l[1],"}"),l[2]=n):l[2]=n),o&&(l[4]?(l[1]="@supports (".concat(l[4],") {").concat(l[1],"}"),l[4]=o):l[4]="".concat(o)),e.push(l))}},e}},81:t=>{t.exports=function(t){return t[1]}},379:t=>{var e=[];function n(t){for(var n=-1,r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].identifier===t){n=r;break}return n}function r(t,r){for(var i={},a=[],c=0;c<t.length;c++){var s=t[c],u=r.base?s[0]+r.base:s[0],l=i[u]||0,d="".concat(u," ").concat(l);i[u]=l+1;var f=n(d),h={css:s[1],media:s[2],sourceMap:s[3],supports:s[4],layer:s[5]};if(-1!==f)e[f].references++,e[f].updater(h);else{var v=o(h,r);r.byIndex=c,e.splice(c,0,{identifier:d,updater:v,references:1})}a.push(d)}return a}function o(t,e){var n=e.domAPI(e);n.update(t);return function(e){if(e){if(e.css===t.css&&e.media===t.media&&e.sourceMap===t.sourceMap&&e.supports===t.supports&&e.layer===t.layer)return;n.update(t=e)}else n.remove()}}t.exports=function(t,o){var i=r(t=t||[],o=o||{});return function(t){t=t||[];for(var a=0;a<i.length;a++){var c=n(i[a]);e[c].references--}for(var s=r(t,o),u=0;u<i.length;u++){var l=n(i[u]);0===e[l].references&&(e[l].updater(),e.splice(l,1))}i=s}}},569:t=>{var e={};t.exports=function(t,n){var r=function(t){if(void 0===e[t]){var n=document.querySelector(t);if(window.HTMLIFrameElement&&n instanceof window.HTMLIFrameElement)try{n=n.contentDocument.head}catch(t){n=null}e[t]=n}return e[t]}(t);if(!r)throw new Error("Couldn't find a style target. This probably means that the value for the 'insert' parameter is invalid.");r.appendChild(n)}},216:t=>{t.exports=function(t){var e=document.createElement("style");return t.setAttributes(e,t.attributes),t.insert(e,t.options),e}},565:(t,e,n)=>{t.exports=function(t){var e=n.nc;e&&t.setAttribute("nonce",e)}},795:t=>{t.exports=function(t){if("undefined"==typeof document)return{update:function(){},remove:function(){}};var e=t.insertStyleElement(t);return{update:function(n){!function(t,e,n){var r="";n.supports&&(r+="@supports (".concat(n.supports,") {")),n.media&&(r+="@media ".concat(n.media," {"));var o=void 0!==n.layer;o&&(r+="@layer".concat(n.layer.length>0?" ".concat(n.layer):""," {")),r+=n.css,o&&(r+="}"),n.media&&(r+="}"),n.supports&&(r+="}");var i=n.sourceMap;i&&"undefined"!=typeof btoa&&(r+="\n/*# sourceMappingURL=data:application/json;base64,".concat(btoa(unescape(encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify(i))))," */")),e.styleTagTransform(r,t,e.options)}(e,t,n)},remove:function(){!function(t){if(null===t.parentNode)return!1;t.parentNode.removeChild(t)}(e)}}}},589:t=>{t.exports=function(t,e){if(e.styleSheet)e.styleSheet.cssText=t;else{for(;e.firstChild;)e.removeChild(e.firstChild);e.appendChild(document.createTextNode(t))}}}},e={};function n(r){var o=e[r];if(void 0!==o)return o.exports;var i=e[r]={id:r,exports:{}};return t[r](i,i.exports,n),i.exports}n.n=t=>{var e=t&&t.__esModule?()=>t.default:()=>t;return n.d(e,{a:e}),e},n.d=(t,e)=>{for(var r in e)n.o(e,r)&&!n.o(t,r)&&Object.defineProperty(t,r,{enumerable:!0,get:e[r]})},n.o=(t,e)=>Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(t,e),n.nc=void 0,(()=>{const t={randomUUID:"undefined"!=typeof crypto&&crypto.randomUUID&&crypto.randomUUID.bind(crypto)};let e;const r=new Uint8Array(16);function o(){if(!e&&(e="undefined"!=typeof crypto&&crypto.getRandomValues&&crypto.getRandomValues.bind(crypto),!e))throw new Error("crypto.getRandomValues() not supported. See https://github.com/uuidjs/uuid#getrandomvalues-not-supported");return e(r)}const i=[];for(let t=0;t<256;++t)i.push((t+256).toString(16).slice(1));function a(t,e=0){return(i[t[e+0]]+i[t[e+1]]+i[t[e+2]]+i[t[e+3]]+"-"+i[t[e+4]]+i[t[e+5]]+"-"+i[t[e+6]]+i[t[e+7]]+"-"+i[t[e+8]]+i[t[e+9]]+"-"+i[t[e+10]]+i[t[e+11]]+i[t[e+12]]+i[t[e+13]]+i[t[e+14]]+i[t[e+15]]).toLowerCase()}const c=function(e,n,r){if(t.randomUUID&&!n&&!e)return t.randomUUID();const i=(e=e||{}).random||(e.rng||o)();if(i[6]=15&i[6]|64,i[8]=63&i[8]|128,n){r=r||0;for(let t=0;t<16;++t)n[r+t]=i[t];return n}return a(i)};var s=n(379),u=n.n(s),l=n(795),d=n.n(l),f=n(569),h=n.n(f),v=n(565),p=n.n(v),m=n(216),y=n.n(m),g=n(589),w=n.n(g),b=n(455),x={};x.styleTagTransform=w(),x.setAttributes=p(),x.insert=h().bind(null,"head"),x.domAPI=d(),x.insertStyleElement=y();u()(b.Z,x);b.Z&&b.Z.locals&&b.Z.locals;function k(t){return k="function"==typeof Symbol&&"symbol"==typeof Symbol.iterator?function(t){return typeof t}:function(t){return t&&"function"==typeof Symbol&&t.constructor===Symbol&&t!==Symbol.prototype?"symbol":typeof t},k(t)}function L(){L=function(){return e};var t,e={},n=Object.prototype,r=n.hasOwnProperty,o=Object.defineProperty||function(t,e,n){t[e]=n.value},i="function"==typeof Symbol?Symbol:{},a=i.iterator||"@@iterator",c=i.asyncIterator||"@@asyncIterator",s=i.toStringTag||"@@toStringTag";function u(t,e,n){return Object.defineProperty(t,e,{value:n,enumerable:!0,configurable:!0,writable:!0}),t[e]}try{u({},"")}catch(t){u=function(t,e,n){return t[e]=n}}function l(t,e,n,r){var i=e&&e.prototype instanceof y?e:y,a=Object.create(i.prototype),c=new Y(r||[]);return o(a,"_invoke",{value:A(t,n,c)}),a}function d(t,e,n){try{return{type:"normal",arg:t.call(e,n)}}catch(t){return{type:"throw",arg:t}}}e.wrap=l;var f="suspendedStart",h="suspendedYield",v="executing",p="completed",m={};function y(){}function g(){}function w(){}var b={};u(b,a,(function(){return this}));var x=Object.getPrototypeOf,j=x&&x(x(T([])));j&&j!==n&&r.call(j,a)&&(b=j);var E=w.prototype=y.prototype=Object.create(b);function C(t){["next","throw","return"].forEach((function(e){u(t,e,(function(t){return this._invoke(e,t)}))}))}function S(t,e){function n(o,i,a,c){var s=d(t[o],t,i);if("throw"!==s.type){var u=s.arg,l=u.value;return l&&"object"==k(l)&&r.call(l,"__await")?e.resolve(l.__await).then((function(t){n("next",t,a,c)}),(function(t){n("throw",t,a,c)})):e.resolve(l).then((function(t){u.value=t,a(u)}),(function(t){return n("throw",t,a,c)}))}c(s.arg)}var i;o(this,"_invoke",{value:function(t,r){function o(){return new e((function(e,o){n(t,r,e,o)}))}return i=i?i.then(o,o):o()}})}function A(e,n,r){var o=f;return function(i,a){if(o===v)throw new Error("Generator is already running");if(o===p){if("throw"===i)throw a;return{value:t,done:!0}}for(r.method=i,r.arg=a;;){var c=r.delegate;if(c){var s=I(c,r);if(s){if(s===m)continue;return s}}if("next"===r.method)r.sent=r._sent=r.arg;else if("throw"===r.method){if(o===f)throw o=p,r.arg;r.dispatchException(r.arg)}else"return"===r.method&&r.abrupt("return",r.arg);o=v;var u=d(e,n,r);if("normal"===u.type){if(o=r.done?p:h,u.arg===m)continue;return{value:u.arg,done:r.done}}"throw"===u.type&&(o=p,r.method="throw",r.arg=u.arg)}}}function I(e,n){var r=n.method,o=e.iterator[r];if(o===t)return n.delegate=null,"throw"===r&&e.iterator.return&&(n.method="return",n.arg=t,I(e,n),"throw"===n.method)||"return"!==r&&(n.method="throw",n.arg=new TypeError("The iterator does not provide a '"+r+"' method")),m;var i=d(o,e.iterator,n.arg);if("throw"===i.type)return n.method="throw",n.arg=i.arg,n.delegate=null,m;var a=i.arg;return a?a.done?(n[e.resultName]=a.value,n.next=e.nextLoc,"return"!==n.method&&(n.method="next",n.arg=t),n.delegate=null,m):a:(n.method="throw",n.arg=new TypeError("iterator result is not an object"),n.delegate=null,m)}function q(t){var e={tryLoc:t[0]};1 in t&&(e.catchLoc=t[1]),2 in t&&(e.finallyLoc=t[2],e.afterLoc=t[3]),this.tryEntries.push(e)}function P(t){var e=t.completion||{};e.type="normal",delete e.arg,t.completion=e}function Y(t){this.tryEntries=[{tryLoc:"root"}],t.forEach(q,this),this.reset(!0)}function T(e){if(e||""===e){var n=e[a];if(n)return n.call(e);if("function"==typeof e.next)return e;if(!isNaN(e.length)){var o=-1,i=function n(){for(;++o<e.length;)if(r.call(e,o))return n.value=e[o],n.done=!1,n;return n.value=t,n.done=!0,n};return i.next=i}}throw new TypeError(k(e)+" is not iterable")}return g.prototype=w,o(E,"constructor",{value:w,configurable:!0}),o(w,"constructor",{value:g,configurable:!0}),g.displayName=u(w,s,"GeneratorFunction"),e.isGeneratorFunction=function(t){var e="function"==typeof t&&t.constructor;return!!e&&(e===g||"GeneratorFunction"===(e.displayName||e.name))},e.mark=function(t){return Object.setPrototypeOf?Object.setPrototypeOf(t,w):(t.__proto__=w,u(t,s,"GeneratorFunction")),t.prototype=Object.create(E),t},e.awrap=function(t){return{__await:t}},C(S.prototype),u(S.prototype,c,(function(){return this})),e.AsyncIterator=S,e.async=function(t,n,r,o,i){void 0===i&&(i=Promise);var a=new S(l(t,n,r,o),i);return e.isGeneratorFunction(n)?a:a.next().then((function(t){return t.done?t.value:a.next()}))},C(E),u(E,s,"Generator"),u(E,a,(function(){return this})),u(E,"toString",(function(){return"[object Generator]"})),e.keys=function(t){var e=Object(t),n=[];for(var r in e)n.push(r);return n.reverse(),function t(){for(;n.length;){var r=n.pop();if(r in e)return t.value=r,t.done=!1,t}return t.done=!0,t}},e.values=T,Y.prototype={constructor:Y,reset:function(e){if(this.prev=0,this.next=0,this.sent=this._sent=t,this.done=!1,this.delegate=null,this.method="next",this.arg=t,this.tryEntries.forEach(P),!e)for(var n in this)"t"===n.charAt(0)&&r.call(this,n)&&!isNaN(+n.slice(1))&&(this[n]=t)},stop:function(){this.done=!0;var t=this.tryEntries[0].completion;if("throw"===t.type)throw t.arg;return this.rval},dispatchException:function(e){if(this.done)throw e;var n=this;function o(r,o){return c.type="throw",c.arg=e,n.next=r,o&&(n.method="next",n.arg=t),!!o}for(var i=this.tryEntries.length-1;i>=0;--i){var a=this.tryEntries[i],c=a.completion;if("root"===a.tryLoc)return o("end");if(a.tryLoc<=this.prev){var s=r.call(a,"catchLoc"),u=r.call(a,"finallyLoc");if(s&&u){if(this.prev<a.catchLoc)return o(a.catchLoc,!0);if(this.prev<a.finallyLoc)return o(a.finallyLoc)}else if(s){if(this.prev<a.catchLoc)return o(a.catchLoc,!0)}else{if(!u)throw new Error("try statement without catch or finally");if(this.prev<a.finallyLoc)return o(a.finallyLoc)}}}},abrupt:function(t,e){for(var n=this.tryEntries.length-1;n>=0;--n){var o=this.tryEntries[n];if(o.tryLoc<=this.prev&&r.call(o,"finallyLoc")&&this.prev<o.finallyLoc){var i=o;break}}i&&("break"===t||"continue"===t)&&i.tryLoc<=e&&e<=i.finallyLoc&&(i=null);var a=i?i.completion:{};return a.type=t,a.arg=e,i?(this.method="next",this.next=i.finallyLoc,m):this.complete(a)},complete:function(t,e){if("throw"===t.type)throw t.arg;return"break"===t.type||"continue"===t.type?this.next=t.arg:"return"===t.type?(this.rval=this.arg=t.arg,this.method="return",this.next="end"):"normal"===t.type&&e&&(this.next=e),m},finish:function(t){for(var e=this.tryEntries.length-1;e>=0;--e){var n=this.tryEntries[e];if(n.finallyLoc===t)return this.complete(n.completion,n.afterLoc),P(n),m}},catch:function(t){for(var e=this.tryEntries.length-1;e>=0;--e){var n=this.tryEntries[e];if(n.tryLoc===t){var r=n.completion;if("throw"===r.type){var o=r.arg;P(n)}return o}}throw new Error("illegal catch attempt")},delegateYield:function(e,n,r){return this.delegate={iterator:T(e),resultName:n,nextLoc:r},"next"===this.method&&(this.arg=t),m}},e}function j(t,e,n,r,o,i,a){try{var c=t[i](a),s=c.value}catch(t){return void n(t)}c.done?e(s):Promise.resolve(s).then(r,o)}var E="ZnMtYWRiLWVycg",C=function(){var t,e=(t=L().mark((function t(){var e,n,r,o,i;return L().wrap((function(t){for(;;)switch(t.prev=t.next){case 0:if(document.body){t.next=3;break}return t.next=3,new Promise((function(t){return document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t)}));case 3:for(e=["YWQ=","YmFubmVyLWFk","YmFubmVyX2Fk","YmFubmVyLWFkLWNvbnRhaW5lcg==","YWQtc2lkZXJhaWw=","c3RpY2t5YWRz","aW1wcnRudC1jbnQ="],(n=document.createElement("div")).textContent=Math.random().toString(),n.setAttribute(atob("ZGF0YS1mcmVlc3Rhci1hZA=="),"123"),r=0;r<e.length;r++)n.classList.add(atob(e[r]));if(n.style.display="block",document.body.appendChild(n),o=window.getComputedStyle(n),i=null==o?void 0:o.display,n.remove(),"none"!==i){t.next=15;break}throw new Error(E);case 15:case"end":return t.stop()}}),t)})),function(){var e=this,n=arguments;return new Promise((function(r,o){var i=t.apply(e,n);function a(t){j(i,r,o,a,c,"next",t)}function c(t){j(i,r,o,a,c,"throw",t)}a(void 0)}))});return function(){return e.apply(this,arguments)}}(),S=function(t){return new Promise((function(e,n){var r=document.createElement("script");try{r.src=t,r.addEventListener("load",(function(){e()})),r.addEventListener("error",(function(){n(E)})),document.head.appendChild(r)}catch(t){n(t)}finally{r.remove()}}))};function A(t){return A="function"==typeof Symbol&&"symbol"==typeof Symbol.iterator?function(t){return typeof t}:function(t){return t&&"function"==typeof Symbol&&t.constructor===Symbol&&t!==Symbol.prototype?"symbol":typeof t},A(t)}function I(){I=function(){return e};var t,e={},n=Object.prototype,r=n.hasOwnProperty,o=Object.defineProperty||function(t,e,n){t[e]=n.value},i="function"==typeof Symbol?Symbol:{},a=i.iterator||"@@iterator",c=i.asyncIterator||"@@asyncIterator",s=i.toStringTag||"@@toStringTag";function u(t,e,n){return Object.defineProperty(t,e,{value:n,enumerable:!0,configurable:!0,writable:!0}),t[e]}try{u({},"")}catch(t){u=function(t,e,n){return t[e]=n}}function l(t,e,n,r){var i=e&&e.prototype instanceof y?e:y,a=Object.create(i.prototype),c=new Y(r||[]);return o(a,"_invoke",{value:C(t,n,c)}),a}function d(t,e,n){try{return{type:"normal",arg:t.call(e,n)}}catch(t){return{type:"throw",arg:t}}}e.wrap=l;var f="suspendedStart",h="suspendedYield",v="executing",p="completed",m={};function y(){}function g(){}function w(){}var b={};u(b,a,(function(){return this}));var x=Object.getPrototypeOf,k=x&&x(x(T([])));k&&k!==n&&r.call(k,a)&&(b=k);var L=w.prototype=y.prototype=Object.create(b);function j(t){["next","throw","return"].forEach((function(e){u(t,e,(function(t){return this._invoke(e,t)}))}))}function E(t,e){function n(o,i,a,c){var s=d(t[o],t,i);if("throw"!==s.type){var u=s.arg,l=u.value;return l&&"object"==A(l)&&r.call(l,"__await")?e.resolve(l.__await).then((function(t){n("next",t,a,c)}),(function(t){n("throw",t,a,c)})):e.resolve(l).then((function(t){u.value=t,a(u)}),(function(t){return n("throw",t,a,c)}))}c(s.arg)}var i;o(this,"_invoke",{value:function(t,r){function o(){return new e((function(e,o){n(t,r,e,o)}))}return i=i?i.then(o,o):o()}})}function C(e,n,r){var o=f;return function(i,a){if(o===v)throw new Error("Generator is already running");if(o===p){if("throw"===i)throw a;return{value:t,done:!0}}for(r.method=i,r.arg=a;;){var c=r.delegate;if(c){var s=S(c,r);if(s){if(s===m)continue;return s}}if("next"===r.method)r.sent=r._sent=r.arg;else if("throw"===r.method){if(o===f)throw o=p,r.arg;r.dispatchException(r.arg)}else"return"===r.method&&r.abrupt("return",r.arg);o=v;var u=d(e,n,r);if("normal"===u.type){if(o=r.done?p:h,u.arg===m)continue;return{value:u.arg,done:r.done}}"throw"===u.type&&(o=p,r.method="throw",r.arg=u.arg)}}}function S(e,n){var r=n.method,o=e.iterator[r];if(o===t)return n.delegate=null,"throw"===r&&e.iterator.return&&(n.method="return",n.arg=t,S(e,n),"throw"===n.method)||"return"!==r&&(n.method="throw",n.arg=new TypeError("The iterator does not provide a '"+r+"' method")),m;var i=d(o,e.iterator,n.arg);if("throw"===i.type)return n.method="throw",n.arg=i.arg,n.delegate=null,m;var a=i.arg;return a?a.done?(n[e.resultName]=a.value,n.next=e.nextLoc,"return"!==n.method&&(n.method="next",n.arg=t),n.delegate=null,m):a:(n.method="throw",n.arg=new TypeError("iterator result is not an object"),n.delegate=null,m)}function q(t){var e={tryLoc:t[0]};1 in t&&(e.catchLoc=t[1]),2 in t&&(e.finallyLoc=t[2],e.afterLoc=t[3]),this.tryEntries.push(e)}function P(t){var e=t.completion||{};e.type="normal",delete e.arg,t.completion=e}function Y(t){this.tryEntries=[{tryLoc:"root"}],t.forEach(q,this),this.reset(!0)}function T(e){if(e||""===e){var n=e[a];if(n)return n.call(e);if("function"==typeof e.next)return e;if(!isNaN(e.length)){var o=-1,i=function n(){for(;++o<e.length;)if(r.call(e,o))return n.value=e[o],n.done=!1,n;return n.value=t,n.done=!0,n};return i.next=i}}throw new TypeError(A(e)+" is not iterable")}return g.prototype=w,o(L,"constructor",{value:w,configurable:!0}),o(w,"constructor",{value:g,configurable:!0}),g.displayName=u(w,s,"GeneratorFunction"),e.isGeneratorFunction=function(t){var e="function"==typeof t&&t.constructor;return!!e&&(e===g||"GeneratorFunction"===(e.displayName||e.name))},e.mark=function(t){return Object.setPrototypeOf?Object.setPrototypeOf(t,w):(t.__proto__=w,u(t,s,"GeneratorFunction")),t.prototype=Object.create(L),t},e.awrap=function(t){return{__await:t}},j(E.prototype),u(E.prototype,c,(function(){return this})),e.AsyncIterator=E,e.async=function(t,n,r,o,i){void 0===i&&(i=Promise);var a=new E(l(t,n,r,o),i);return e.isGeneratorFunction(n)?a:a.next().then((function(t){return t.done?t.value:a.next()}))},j(L),u(L,s,"Generator"),u(L,a,(function(){return this})),u(L,"toString",(function(){return"[object Generator]"})),e.keys=function(t){var e=Object(t),n=[];for(var r in e)n.push(r);return n.reverse(),function t(){for(;n.length;){var r=n.pop();if(r in e)return t.value=r,t.done=!1,t}return t.done=!0,t}},e.values=T,Y.prototype={constructor:Y,reset:function(e){if(this.prev=0,this.next=0,this.sent=this._sent=t,this.done=!1,this.delegate=null,this.method="next",this.arg=t,this.tryEntries.forEach(P),!e)for(var n in this)"t"===n.charAt(0)&&r.call(this,n)&&!isNaN(+n.slice(1))&&(this[n]=t)},stop:function(){this.done=!0;var t=this.tryEntries[0].completion;if("throw"===t.type)throw t.arg;return this.rval},dispatchException:function(e){if(this.done)throw e;var n=this;function o(r,o){return c.type="throw",c.arg=e,n.next=r,o&&(n.method="next",n.arg=t),!!o}for(var i=this.tryEntries.length-1;i>=0;--i){var a=this.tryEntries[i],c=a.completion;if("root"===a.tryLoc)return o("end");if(a.tryLoc<=this.prev){var s=r.call(a,"catchLoc"),u=r.call(a,"finallyLoc");if(s&&u){if(this.prev<a.catchLoc)return o(a.catchLoc,!0);if(this.prev<a.finallyLoc)return o(a.finallyLoc)}else if(s){if(this.prev<a.catchLoc)return o(a.catchLoc,!0)}else{if(!u)throw new Error("try statement without catch or finally");if(this.prev<a.finallyLoc)return o(a.finallyLoc)}}}},abrupt:function(t,e){for(var n=this.tryEntries.length-1;n>=0;--n){var o=this.tryEntries[n];if(o.tryLoc<=this.prev&&r.call(o,"finallyLoc")&&this.prev<o.finallyLoc){var i=o;break}}i&&("break"===t||"continue"===t)&&i.tryLoc<=e&&e<=i.finallyLoc&&(i=null);var a=i?i.completion:{};return a.type=t,a.arg=e,i?(this.method="next",this.next=i.finallyLoc,m):this.complete(a)},complete:function(t,e){if("throw"===t.type)throw t.arg;return"break"===t.type||"continue"===t.type?this.next=t.arg:"return"===t.type?(this.rval=this.arg=t.arg,this.method="return",this.next="end"):"normal"===t.type&&e&&(this.next=e),m},finish:function(t){for(var e=this.tryEntries.length-1;e>=0;--e){var n=this.tryEntries[e];if(n.finallyLoc===t)return this.complete(n.completion,n.afterLoc),P(n),m}},catch:function(t){for(var e=this.tryEntries.length-1;e>=0;--e){var n=this.tryEntries[e];if(n.tryLoc===t){var r=n.completion;if("throw"===r.type){var o=r.arg;P(n)}return o}}throw new Error("illegal catch attempt")},delegateYield:function(e,n,r){return this.delegate={iterator:T(e),resultName:n,nextLoc:r},"next"===this.method&&(this.arg=t),m}},e}function q(t,e,n,r,o,i,a){try{var c=t[i](a),s=c.value}catch(t){return void n(t)}c.done?e(s):Promise.resolve(s).then(r,o)}function P(t){return function(){var e=this,n=arguments;return new Promise((function(r,o){var i=t.apply(e,n);function a(t){q(i,r,o,a,c,"next",t)}function c(t){q(i,r,o,a,c,"throw",t)}a(void 0)}))}}function Y(t,e){for(var n=0;n<e.length;n++){var r=e[n];r.enumerable=r.enumerable||!1,r.configurable=!0,"value"in r&&(r.writable=!0),Object.defineProperty(t,(o=r.key,i=void 0,i=function(t,e){if("object"!==A(t)||null===t)return t;var n=t[Symbol.toPrimitive];if(void 0!==n){var r=n.call(t,e||"default");if("object"!==A(r))return r;throw new TypeError("@@toPrimitive must return a primitive value.")}return("string"===e?String:Number)(t)}(o,"string"),"symbol"===A(i)?i:String(i)),r)}var o,i}var T=function(){function t(e){!function(t,e){if(!(t instanceof e))throw new TypeError("Cannot call a class as a function")}(this,t),this.config=null,this.langCode=null,this.languages=this.getUserPreferredLanguages(e)}var e,n,r,o,i,a;return e=t,n=[{key:"init",value:(a=P(I().mark((function t(){return I().wrap((function(t){for(;;)switch(t.prev=t.next){case 0:return t.next=2,this.fetchConfig();case 2:this.config=t.sent,null!==this.config&&(this.langCode=this.getFirstSupportedLanguage(this.languages),this.observe());case 4:case"end":return t.stop()}}),t,this)}))),function(){return a.apply(this,arguments)})},{key:"fetchConfig",value:(i=P(I().mark((function t(){var e,n,r,o,i,a;return I().wrap((function(t){for(;;)switch(t.prev=t.next){case 0:return n=(e=["Y29uZmlnLmNvbnRlbnQtc2V0dGluZ3MuY29t","Y29uZmlnLnNpdGUtY29uZmlnLmNvbQ==","29uZmlnLmZyZmlndXJlcy5jb20="]).length-1,r=Number.isNaN(Number(localStorage.getItem("fs.cdi")))?0:Number(localStorage.getItem("fs.cdi")),o=Number.isNaN(Number(localStorage.getItem("fs.cfc")))?0:Number(localStorage.getItem("fs.cfc")),i=atob(e[r]),a="https://".concat(i,"/smithsonianmag-com.json"),t.prev=6,t.next=9,fetch(a);case 9:return t.abrupt("return",t.sent.json());case 12:return t.prev=12,t.t0=t.catch(6),++o>=3&&(o=0,r++),r>n&&(r=0),t.abrupt("return",null);case 18:return t.prev=18,localStorage.setItem("fs.cdi",r),localStorage.setItem("fs.cfc",o),t.finish(18);case 22:case"end":return t.stop()}}),t,null,[[6,12,18,22]])}))),function(){return i.apply(this,arguments)})},{key:"killScroll",value:function(t){if(t.isScrollDisabled){this.existingOverflow=document.body.style.overflow,document.body.style.overflow="hidden";var e=window.pageYOffset||document.documentElement.scrollTop,n=window.pageXOffset||document.documentElement.scrollLeft;document.body.style.top="-".concat(e,"px"),document.body.style.left="-".concat(n,"px"),window.onscroll=function(){window.scrollTo(n,e)}}}},{key:"reviveScroll",value:function(){document.body.style.overflow=this.existingOverflow||"",window.onscroll=function(){}}},{key:"getUserPreferredLanguages",value:function(t){var e=t.languages,n=t.language,r=void 0===e?[n]:e;if(r)return r.map((function(t){var e=t.trim().toLowerCase();if(!e.includes("zh"))return e.split(/-|_/)[0];var n=e.split(/-|_/)[1];return"zh"===e||["hans","cn","sg"].includes(n)?"zh":["hant","hk","mo","tw"].includes(n)?"zh-hant":void 0}))}},{key:"getFirstSupportedLanguage",value:function(t){var e=this,n=["title","paragraphOne","buttonText"],r=t.find((function(t){return n.every((function(n){return!!e.config[n][t]}))}));return void 0!==r?r:"en"}},{key:"getLocalizedTextContent",value:function(t,e){var n,r=arguments.length>2&&void 0!==arguments[2]&&arguments[2],o=t[e];if(void 0===o)throw new Error("Config text not found for text key ".concat(e));return r?null!==(n=o[this.langCode])&&void 0!==n?n:o.en:o[this.langCode]}},{key:"getPixelString",value:function(t){return"number"==typeof t?"".concat(t,"px"):null}},{key:"pickContrastingColorValue",value:function(t,e,n){var r=t.substring(1,7);return.299*parseInt(r.substring(0,2),16)+.587*parseInt(r.substring(2,4),16)+.114*parseInt(r.substring(4,6),16)>=128?e:n}},{key:"generateOverlay",value:function(t){var e=this,n=t.siteId,r=t.isCloseEnabled,o=t.dismissDuration,i=t.dismissDurationPv,a=t.logoUrl,c=t.font,s=t.paragraphTwo,u=t.paragraphThree,l=t.closeText,d=t.linkText,f=t.linkUrl,h=t.textColor,v=t.headerTextColor,p=t.buttonTextColor,m=t.headerBgColor,y=t.bgColor,g=t.buttonBgColor,w=t.borderColor,b=t.borderWidth,x=t.borderRadius,k=t.closeButtonColor,L=t.closeTextColor,j=t.linkTextColor,E=t.linkTextDecoration,C=t.linkVisitedTextColor,S=t.hasFsBranding,A=t.disableInstructions,I=document.createElement("div");I.style.setProperty("--_1u8b67d",g||"#40C28A"),I.style.setProperty("--_1s2p24r",p||"#000000"),I.style.setProperty("--_16xxoaz",this.pickContrastingColorValue(y||"#FFFFFF","white","black")),j&&I.style.setProperty("--q1a6v7",j),C&&I.style.setProperty("--_1bva2lo",C),E&&I.style.setProperty("--d8c6ui",E),I.classList.add("_82u8vq"),I.id="_1wcn8h3",I.dir="auto",this.oid=I.id;var q=document.createElement("div");q.classList.add("onnj2g"),y&&(q.style.backgroundColor=y),c&&(q.style.fontFamily=c),h&&(q.style.color=h);var P=this.getPixelString(x),Y=this.getPixelString(b);P&&(q.style.borderRadius=P),(w||Y)&&(q.style.borderStyle="solid"),w&&(q.style.borderColor=w),Y&&(q.style.borderWidth=Y);var T=document.createElement("header");if(v&&(T.style.color=v),m){T.style.backgroundColor=m;var O=P||"1em";T.style.borderTopLeftRadius=O,T.style.borderTopRightRadius=O}if(a){var H=document.createElement("img");H.src=a,H.alt="Logo",H.onerror=function(){this.style.display="none"},T.appendChild(H)}var U=document.createElement("h2");U.textContent=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"title"),T.appendChild(U);var _=document.createElement("section");_.classList.add("_1myx4a0");var R=document.createElement("p");if(R.textContent=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"paragraphOne"),_.appendChild(R),s&&0!==Object.keys(s).length){var F=document.createElement("p");F.textContent=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"paragraphTwo"),_.appendChild(F)}if(u&&0!==Object.keys(u).length){var B=document.createElement("p");B.textContent=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"paragraphThree"),_.appendChild(B)}var V=d&&this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"linkText"),z=f&&this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"linkUrl",!0);if(V&&z){var G=document.createElement("div");G.style.margin="0 0 1em";var N=document.createElement("a");N.classList.add("_1ajq4u1"),j&&N.classList.add("q1a6v7"),C&&N.classList.add("_1bva2lo"),E&&N.classList.add("d8c6ui"),N.textContent=V,N.href=z,N.target="_blank",G.appendChild(N),_.appendChild(G)}var Q=document.createElement("button");if(Q.classList.add("_16i61up"),Q.tabIndex=0,Q.textContent=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"buttonText"),g&&(Q.style.backgroundColor=g),p&&(Q.style.color=p),Q.onclick=function(){document.querySelector("section._1myx4a0").classList.add("_18mgeh5"),document.querySelector("section.mjmqhi").classList.remove("_18mgeh5")},_.appendChild(Q),r){var D=function(){I.remove(),e.reviveScroll(),o||i?(sessionStorage.removeItem("fs.adb".concat(n||"",".dis")),i?e.updateValues("p"):o&&e.updateValues("dt")):sessionStorage.setItem("fs.adb".concat(n||"",".dis"),"1")},M=document.createElement("span");if(M.classList.add("_18hdrla"),M.innerHTML="×",M.tabIndex=0,k&&(M.style.color=k),M.addEventListener("click",D),T.appendChild(M),l&&0!==Object.keys(l).length){var W=document.createElement("div");W.classList.add("qcqk63");var J=document.createElement("p");J.classList.add("_1jy32sx"),J.textContent=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"closeText"),L&&(J.style.color=L),J.addEventListener("click",D),W.appendChild(J),_.appendChild(W)}}var Z=document.createElement("section");Z.classList.add("mjmqhi","_18mgeh5");var X=document.createElement("h4");X.classList.add("vza2sa"),X.textContent=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"instructionsTitle");var K=document.createElement("div");K.classList.add("_1n8syyr");var $=document.createElement("ul");$.classList.add("_12y6q83");var tt=document.createElement("div");tt.classList.add("_10v9zkx"),A.forEach((function(t,n){var r=document.createElement("li");r.onclick=function(){return function(t){for(var e=document.querySelectorAll("._12y6q83 > li"),n=document.getElementsByClassName("_1dz8w0r"),r=0;r<n.length;r++)e[r].classList.remove("_2tqkhw"),n[r].classList.remove("_2tqkhw");e[t].classList.add("_2tqkhw"),n[t].classList.add("_2tqkhw")}(n)},r.textContent=e.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"name",!0),$.appendChild(r);var o=document.createElement("ol");o.classList.add("_1dz8w0r"),0===n&&(r.classList.add("_2tqkhw"),o.classList.add("_2tqkhw")),e.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"steps").forEach((function(t){var e=document.createElement("li");e.textContent=t,o.appendChild(e)})),tt.appendChild(o)}));var et=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"disclaimerText"),nt=document.createElement("p");nt.textContent=et,tt.appendChild(nt),K.appendChild($),K.appendChild(tt);var rt=document.createElement("button");if(rt.classList.add("_16i61up","te00wf"),rt.textContent=this.getLocalizedTextContent(t,"backButtonText"),g&&(rt.style.backgroundColor=g),p&&(rt.style.color=p),rt.onclick=function(){document.querySelector("section.mjmqhi").classList.add("_18mgeh5"),document.querySelector("section._1myx4a0").classList.remove("_18mgeh5")},Z.appendChild(X),Z.appendChild(K),Z.appendChild(rt),q.appendChild(T),q.appendChild(_),q.appendChild(Z),S){var ot=document.createElement("a");ot.classList.add("_1o9k1ce"),ot.href=atob("aHR0cHM6Ly9mcmVlc3Rhci5jb20vYWQtcHJvZHVjdHMvZGVza3RvcC1tb2JpbGUvZnJlZXN0YXItcmVjb3ZlcmVk"),ot.target="_blank";var it=document.createElement("img");it.alt="Logo",it.src=this.pickContrastingColorValue(y||"#FFFFFF","data:image/png;base64,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","data:image/png;base64,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"),ot.appendChild(it),q.appendChild(ot)}return I.appendChild(q),I}},{key:"getAndSetOverlay",value:(o=P(I().mark((function t(e){var n,r,o,i;return I().wrap((function(t){for(;;)switch(t.prev=t.next){case 0:if(this.post(!0,e),e.dismissDuration||e.dismissDurationPv||"1"!==sessionStorage.getItem("fs.adb".concat(e.siteId||"",".dis"))){t.next=3;break}return t.abrupt("return");case 3:if(n=localStorage.getItem("fs.adb"),r=n&&JSON.parse(n),!e.dismissDurationPv||!r.p||"number"!=typeof r.p){t.next=14;break}if(!(e.dismissDurationPv<=r.p+1)){t.next=10;break}this.clearValue("p"),t.next=12;break;case 10:return this.updateValues("p"),t.abrupt("return");case 12:t.next=15;break;case 14:this.clearValue("p");case 15:if(o=parseInt(r.dt,10),!e.dismissDuration||!o){t.next=25;break}if(!(Math.abs((Date.now()-o)/36e5)<e.dismissDuration)){t.next=22;break}return t.abrupt("return");case 22:this.clearValue("dt");case 23:t.next=26;break;case 25:this.clearValue("dt");case 26:if(document.body){t.next=29;break}return t.next=29,new Promise((function(t){return document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t)}));case 29:if(this.killScroll(e),null===document.querySelector("#".concat(this.oid))){t.next=32;break}return t.abrupt("return");case 32:i=this.generateOverlay(e),document.body.appendChild(i);case 34:case"end":return t.stop()}}),t,this)}))),function(t){return o.apply(this,arguments)})},{key:"getStatus",value:function(t,e){return!0===e?1:2===t||1===t?2:0}},{key:"getAndSetData",value:function(t){var e,n,r,o=localStorage.getItem("fs.adb"),i=o&&JSON.parse(o),a=Date.now();return i?(e=i.i,n=i.ot,r=this.getStatus(i.s,t)):(i={},e=c(),n=a,r=t?1:0),i.i=e,i.s=r,i.ot=n,i.lt=a,localStorage.setItem("fs.adb",JSON.stringify(i)),i}},{key:"updateValues",value:function(t){var e=localStorage.getItem("fs.adb"),n=e&&JSON.parse(e);"p"===t?(n.p=n.p?n.p+1:1,n.dt&&delete n.dt):"dt"===t&&(n.dt=Date.now(),n.p&&delete n.p),localStorage.setItem("fs.adb",JSON.stringify(n))}},{key:"clearValue",value:function(t){var e=localStorage.getItem("fs.adb"),n=e&&JSON.parse(e);n[t]&&(delete n[t],localStorage.setItem("fs.adb",JSON.stringify(n)))}},{key:"post",value:function(t,e){var n=atob("c2l0ZS1jb25maWcuY29t"),r=e.cDomain||n,o="https://".concat(r,"/v2/abr"),i=this.getAndSetData(t),a=e.accountId,c=e.siteId,s=navigator.userAgent||window.navigator.userAgent,u=document.referrer,l=window.location,d={accountId:a,siteId:c,userId:i.i,url:l.href,referalURL:u,userAgent:s,status:function(t){switch(t){case 0:return"not detected";case 1:return"detected";case 2:return"recovered";default:return}}(i.s),returning:i.ot!==i.lt,version:"1.3.3"};fetch(o,{method:"POST",headers:{"Content-Type":"application/json","X-Client-Geo-Location":"{client_region},{client_region_subdivision},{client_city}"},body:JSON.stringify(d)}).catch((function(){}))}},{key:"observe",value:function(){var t=this,e="";new MutationObserver((function(){location.pathname!==e&&(e=location.pathname,t.run())})).observe(document,{subtree:!0,childList:!0})}},{key:"run",value:function(){var t=this,e=this.config;setTimeout(P(I().mark((function n(){return I().wrap((function(n){for(;;)switch(n.prev=n.next){case 0:return n.next=2,C().then((function(){return S(atob("aHR0cHM6Ly9hLnB1Yi5uZXR3b3JrL2NvcmUvcHJlYmlkLXVuaXZlcnNhbC1jcmVhdGl2ZS5qcw=="))})).then((function(){return S(atob("aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xldGFnc2VydmljZXMuY29tL3RhZy9qcy9ncHQuanM="))})).then((function(){t.post(!1,e)})).catch((function(n){n!==E&&(null==n?void 0:n.message)!==E||t.getAndSetOverlay(e)}));case 2:case"end":return n.stop()}}),n)}))),500)}}],n&&Y(e.prototype,n),r&&Y(e,r),Object.defineProperty(e,"prototype",{writable:!1}),t}();window.fsabrActive=!0,new T(window.navigator).init()})()})();</script> <script data-cfasync="false" src="https://a.pub.network/smithsonianmag-com/pubfig.min.js" async type="text/javascript"></script> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <script> // Define dataLayer and the gtag function. window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag() { dataLayer.push(arguments); } gtag('consent', 'default', { 'ad_storage': 'denied', 'analytics_storage': 'denied', 'ad_personalization': 'denied', 'analytics_storage': 'denied', 'region': ['EU', 'GB'] }); function tagLinkEvent(name) { dataLayer.push({'event': name}); } </script> <script type="text/javascript"> function OptanonWrapper() { window.Optanon.OnConsentChanged(function () { if (window.OptanonActiveGroups.indexOf('C0002')) { gtag('consent', 'default', { 'ad_storage': 'granted', 'analytics_storage': 'granted', 'ad_personalization': 'granted', 'analytics_storage': 'granted', 'region': ['EU', 'GB'] }); } ; }); }; </script> <script>(function (w, d, s, l, i) { w[l] = w[l] || []; w[l].push({ 'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(), event: 'gtm.js' }); var f = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j = d.createElement(s), dl = l != 'dataLayer' ? '&l=' + l : ''; j.async = true; j.src = 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=' + i + dl; f.parentNode.insertBefore(j, f); })(window, document, 'script', 'dataLayer', 'GTM-T62VWK2');</script> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- BEGIN Custom GA container for Voices Blog --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-18997516-1"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'UA-18997516-1'); </script> <!-- END Custom GA container for Voices Blog --> <title>A 17-Year Study Reveals How Dead Leaves Are a Tropical Forest Lifeline | Smithsonian Voices | Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Smithsonian Magazine</title> <meta name="keywords" content="Biodiversity, Ecology, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute"/> <meta name="description" content="A 17-year experiment in Panama revealed that the process of leaves falling and decomposing on the ground provides nutrients to the soil that help promote tree growth in otherwise infertile tropical forests."/> <meta name="robots" content="index, follow, max-image-preview:large, follow, archive"/> <meta name="author" content="Smithsonian Magazine"/> <meta charset="utf-8"/> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"/> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="referrer" content="unsafe-url"> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes"> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-status-bar-style" content="black"> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="Smithsonian Magazine"> <link rel="image_src" href="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ucrTFtir3SJ0X0GDHbLlJmDAjlQ=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/af/ab/afabe412-4809-4c0a-b525-ec6c99dadd26/bci_20190518_srp-354.jpg"> <meta name="category" content="Connections in Nature, Tropical Research" /> <!-- FACEBOOK --> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:title" content="A 17-Year Study Reveals How Dead Leaves Are a Tropical Forest Lifeline" /> <meta property="og:description" content="A 17-year experiment in Panama revealed that the process of leaves falling and decomposing on the ground provides nutrients to the soil that help promote tree growth in otherwise infertile tropical forests." /> <meta property="og:url" content="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/02/22/a-17-year-study-reveals-how-dead-leaves-are-a-tropical-forest-lifeline/"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ULgWylL_yx17Y_5Cb4W0XGj1f7Y=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2Faf%2Fab%2Fafabe412-4809-4c0a-b525-ec6c99dadd26%2Fbci_20190518_srp-354.jpg" /> <!-- TWITTER --> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="A 17-Year Study Reveals How Dead Leaves Are a Tropical Forest Lifeline" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="A 17-year experiment in Panama revealed that the process of leaves falling and decomposing on the ground provides nutrients to the soil that help promote tree growth in otherwise infertile tropical forests." /> <meta name="twitter:url" content="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/02/22/a-17-year-study-reveals-how-dead-leaves-are-a-tropical-forest-lifeline/" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ucrTFtir3SJ0X0GDHbLlJmDAjlQ=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/af/ab/afabe412-4809-4c0a-b525-ec6c99dadd26/bci_20190518_srp-354.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:creator" content="@None" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS Feed for Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute" href="/rss/blog/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/" /> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/02/22/a-17-year-study-reveals-how-dead-leaves-are-a-tropical-forest-lifeline/", "headline": "A 17-Year Study Reveals How Dead Leaves Are a Tropical Forest Lifeline", "description": "A 17-year experiment in Panama revealed that the process of leaves falling and decomposing on the ground provides nutrients to the soil that help promote tree growth in otherwise infertile tropical forests.", "url": "https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/02/22/a-17-year-study-reveals-how-dead-leaves-are-a-tropical-forest-lifeline/", "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "xpath": [ "/html/head/title", "/html/head/meta[@name='description']/@content" ] }, "datePublished": "2024-02-22T07:57:46-05:00", "dateModified": "2024-02-22T07:57:51.739559-05:00", "image": [ "https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/MkVzlx65ZvLYqTtty3OGT-K4Guo=/800x800/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/af/ab/afabe412-4809-4c0a-b525-ec6c99dadd26/bci_20190518_srp-354.jpg", "https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/DeudQHngS1l9m2Lntx6Uf6PGcl8=/800x600/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/af/ab/afabe412-4809-4c0a-b525-ec6c99dadd26/bci_20190518_srp-354.jpg", "https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/SaVwGc6F19dYBSuC2bhWUow1Wtw=/800x450/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/af/ab/afabe412-4809-4c0a-b525-ec6c99dadd26/bci_20190518_srp-354.jpg" ], "articleSection": "Voices", "thumbnailUrl": "https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ucrTFtir3SJ0X0GDHbLlJmDAjlQ=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/af/ab/afabe412-4809-4c0a-b525-ec6c99dadd26/bci_20190518_srp-354.jpg", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "" }, "creator": [], "keywords": ["Voices: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute", "Connections in Nature", "Tropical Research", "Biodiversity", "Ecology", "Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute"], "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Smithsonian Magazine", "logo": { "@type":"ImageObject", "url":"/static/img/wwwsmithsonianmagcom-markup-logo.png", "width":360, "height":60 } } } </script> <script type="application/json"> { "articleID": "1690", "articleSource": "Voices", "articleType": "Blog", "premium": "0", "metered": "0", "articlePage": "1" } </script> <script src="https://cdn.p-n.io/pushly-sdk.min.js?domain_key=hn5lNDNFJqLiqyK5HrYDmcyK8qRE6OSqKsZr" async></script> <script> window.PushlySDK = window.PushlySDK || []; function pushly() { window.PushlySDK.push(arguments) } pushly('load', { domainKey: 'hn5lNDNFJqLiqyK5HrYDmcyK8qRE6OSqKsZr', }); </script> <script> window.ENV = "production"; window.SENTRY_DSN = "https://4ca4f161699457c9cb249d33c630c5e6@o25938.ingest.us.sentry.io/4507623932428288"; window.RELEASE = "2024.11.27.4760"; </script> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/02/22/a-17-year-study-reveals-how-dead-leaves-are-a-tropical-forest-lifeline/" /> <link rel="preconnect" href="//a.pub.network"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//www.google-analytics.com"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//www.googletagmanager.com"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//connect.facebook.net"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//ajax.googleapis.com"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//fonts.googleapis.com"/> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//use.fontawesome.com"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//logs1.smithsonian.museum"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//sb.scorecardresearch.com"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//th-thumbnailer.smithsonianmag.com"/> <link rel="preload" href="/static/smithsonianmag/smithsonianmag.2ac8ea967313.css" as="style" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/static/smithsonianmag/smithsonianmag.2ac8ea967313.css"/> <link rel="icon" href="/static/smithsonianmag/img/Smithsonianmagazine_favicon.a059ed204fde.ico" sizes="any"><!-- 32×32 --> <link rel="icon" href="/static/smithsonianmag/img/Smithsonianmagazine_favicons.44e60f3d34e8.svg" type="image/svg+xml"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/smithsonianmag/img/Smithsonianmagazine_apple_touch_icon.bcff19327dab.png"> <!-- 180×180 --> <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json"> <link rel="preload" href="/static/smithsonianmag/smithsonianmag.bundle.6a12ed706e00.js" as="script"> <link rel="preload" href="/static/ads/freestar.bundle.e8c7f0074c78.js" as="script"> <script type="text/javascript" async src="/static/smithsonianmag/smithsonianmag.bundle.6a12ed706e00.js"></script> <script src="https://kit.fontawesome.com/c31205bd70.js" crossorigin="anonymous"></script> <script data-cfasync="false" type="text/javascript"> window.freestar = window.freestar || {}; freestar.queue = freestar.queue || []; freestar.config = freestar.config || {}; freestar.config.enabled_slots = []; freestar.initCallback = function () { (freestar.config.enabled_slots.length === 0) ? freestar.initCallbackCalled = false : freestar.newAdSlots(freestar.config.enabled_slots); }; window.GPT = { DOMAIN: 'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/', SITE: 'production', ACCOUNT: '/308522/smithsonianmag.tmus', referrer: document.referrer ? new URL(document.referrer).hostname.replace(/^www\./, '') : '', path: '/308522/smithsonianmag.tmus/', category: JSON.parse('["connections-nature", "tropical-research"]'), window.GPT.tag = JSON.parse('["Biodiversity", "Ecology", "smithsonian-tropical-research-institute"]'); section_type: JSON.parse(''), url: 'a-17-year-study-reveals-how-dead-leaves-are-a-tropical-forest-lifeline-1690', pagetype: 'blog' }; window.googletag = window.googletag || { cmd: [] }; window.showLeaderboard = !(['.bing.','.google.','yahoo.com'].some(function(p){return document.referrer.indexOf(p)>-1;})); googletag.cmd.push(function() { var fsMapping = googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1072, 0], [[728, 90], [970, 90], [970, 250], [1072, 325], [1, 1] ]) .addSize([970, 0], [[728, 90], [970, 90], [970, 250], [1, 1] ]) .addSize([768, 0], [[728, 90], [1, 1] ]) .addSize([0, 0], [[300, 50], [320, 50], [1, 1] ]) .build(); if (showLeaderboard) { googletag.defineSlot('/15184186,21714840181/smithsonianmag_leaderboard_atf', [728, 90], 'smithsonianmag_leaderboard_atf').setTargeting('pos', ['top']).defineSizeMapping(fsMapping).addService(googletag.pubads()); } googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.enableServices(); }); googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.pubads().setTargeting('site', GPT.SITE || "") .setTargeting('Category', GPT.category || "") .setTargeting('tag', GPT.tag || "") .setTargeting('type', GPT.type || "") .setTargeting('special', GPT.special || "") .setTargeting('url', GPT.url || "") .setTargeting('pagetype', GPT.pagetype || "") .setTargeting('segment', GPT.segment || "") .setTargeting('post', GPT.post || "") .setTargeting('section_type', GPT.section_type || "") .setTargeting('referrer', GPT.referrer || "") }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.pubads().setPrivacySettings({ childDirectedTreatment: false }); }); freestar.queue.push(function() { googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { if (event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === '/15184186,21714840181/smithsonianmag_adhesion' && event.campaignId === 3571320465) { setTimeout(function() { freestar.refresh('smithsonianmag_adhesion'); }, 30000); } }); }); freestar.config.targeting = [ //{ // "smithsonianmag_leaderboard_atf": { // "pos": "top" // } //}, { "smithsonianmag_leaderboard_btf": { "pos": "middle" } }, { "smithsonianmag_rail_right_1": { "pos": "top" } }, { "smithsonianmag_rail_right_2": { "pos": "bottom" } } ]; </script> <script type="text/javascript" data-cfasync="false" src="/static/ads/freestar.bundle.e8c7f0074c78.js"></script> <!-- BEGIN Silverpop --> <script src="https://www.sc.pages03.net/lp/static/js/iMAWebCookie.js?1d10bc16-14374088980-b9e6bcd68d4fb511170ab3fcff55179d&h=www.pages03.net" type="text/javascript"></script> <meta name="com.silverpop.brandeddomains" content="www.pages03.net,airspacemag.com,si.mkt6346.com,smithsonian.com,smithsonianmag.com"/> <meta property="fb:pages" content="47619793252"/> <meta name="p:domain_verify" content="1cb4877f178228486592ed27f73e9fd1"/> <!-- OpenSearch --> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" title="Smithsonian" href="/static/smithsonianmag/xml/opensearch/smith_opensearch.7184bcff4c41.xml"> </head> <body class=""> <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <noscript> <iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-T62VWK2" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe> </noscript> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <div class="advertisement fullwidth adtop" id="leaderboardAd"> <!-- BEGIN Freestar: Tag ID - smithsonianmag_leaderboard_atf --> <div data-freestar-ad="__320x50 __1072x325" id="smithsonianmag_leaderboard_atf"> <script type="text/javascript"> if (showLeaderboard) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('smithsonianmag_leaderboard_atf'); }); } else { document.currentScript.parentElement.parentElement.remove(); } </script> </div> <!-- END Freestar: Tag ID - smithsonianmag_leaderboard_atf --> </div> <header class="main"> <div class="headerBar"> <div class="headerBaritem"> <button class="hamburger" type="button" aria-label="Sections" aria-haspopup="menu"> <div id="mobileIcon" class="hamMenu"> <div id="mobile-icon"> <span></span> <span></span> <span></span> <span></span> <p>Sections</p> </div> </div> </button> <div class="searchIcon"> <a href="/search/"><i class="fas fa-search" title="Search"></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="headerBaritem logo"> <a href="/"><img src="/static/smithsonianmag/img/smithsonian_magazine_logo_white.5b455067a001.svg" alt="Smithsonian Magazine white logo" width="135" height="38"/></a> </div> <div class="headerBaritem"> <button class="subscribe-btn-alternate" tabindex="-1"><a href="https://subscribe.smithsonianmag.com/?idx=582&inetz=sticky_menu&promo_name=current-issue&promo_position=top-nav&promo_creative=button&promo_id=subscribe" id="sticky-subscribe-nav-link">Subscribe</a></button> <button class="gift-btn" tabindex="-1"><a href="https://subscribe.smithsonianmag.com/gift?idx=579&inetz=sticky_menu&promo_name=current-issue&promo_position=top-nav&promo_creative=button&promo_id=gift" id="sticky-gift-nav-link">Give a Gift</a></button> <button class="renew-btn-alternate" tabindex="-1"><a href="https://ssl.drgnetwork.com/flex/SMT/SMRENEWAL/" id="sticky-renew-nav-link">Renew</a></button> <button class="shop-btn" tabindex="-1"><a href="https://www.smithsonianstore.com/?code=SEMAG&utm_source=Smithsonianmag.com&utm_medium=shoplink&utm_campaign=hol2016" target="_blank">Shop</a></button> </div> </div> <div class="navigation" id="sideNav" role="navigation"> <nav> <div class="circulation"> <div class="navWrap search-wrapper"> <form class="search-form" action="/search/"> <input placeholder="Search..." type="text" name="q"> <button type="submit"><i class="fas fa-search" title="Submit Search"></i></button> </form> </div> <div class="navWrap"> <button class="subscribe-btn-alternate" tabindex="-1"><a href="https://subscribe.smithsonianmag.com/?idx=582&inetz=side_menu&promo_name=current-issue&promo_position=left_nav&promo_creative=button&promo_id=subscribe" id="mobile-subscribe-side-menu">Subscribe</a></button> <button class="gift-btn" tabindex="-1"><a href="https://subscribe.smithsonianmag.com/gift?idx=579&inetz=side_menu&promo_name=current-issue&promo_position=left_nav&promo_creative=button&promo_id=gift" id="mobile-side-nav-gift">Give a Gift</a></button> <button class="renew-btn-alternate" tabindex="-1"><a href="https://ssl.drgnetwork.com/flex/SMT/SMRENEWAL/" id="mobile-side-nav-renew">Renew</a></button> </div> </div> <div class="navWrap menu"> <ul><li> <a href="/category/smart-news/" class="smart-news" >Smart News</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="/category/smartnews-history-archaeology/" class="smart-news-history" >History</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/smartnews-science/" class="smartnews-science" >Science</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/smartnews-ideas-innovations/" class="smartnews-innovation" >Innovation</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/smartnews-arts-culture/" class="smartnews-arts-culture" >Arts & Culture</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/smartnews-travel/" class="smartnews-travel" >Travel</a> </li></ul> </li><li> <a href="/category/history/" class="history" >History</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="/category/archaeology/" class="archaeology" >Archaeology</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/us-history/" class="us-history" >U.S. History</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/world-history/" class="world-history" >World History</a> </li><li> <a href="/videos/category/history/" class="history-video" >Video</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/acoustic/add/" class="history-newsletter" target="blank" >Newsletter</a> </li></ul> </li><li> <a href="/category/science-nature/" class="science-nature" >Science</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="/category/human-behavior/" class="human-behavior" >Human Behavior</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/mind-body/" class="mind-body" >Mind & Body</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/our-planet/" class="our-planet" >Our Planet</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/space/" class="space" >Space</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/wildlife/" class="wildlife" >Wildlife</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/acoustic/add/" class="science-newsletter" target="blank" >Newsletter</a> </li></ul> </li><li> <a href="/category/innovation/" class="innovation" >Innovation</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/innovation-good-180977795/" class="innovation-for-good" >Innovation for Good</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/education/" class="education" >Education</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/energy/" class="energy" >Energy</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/health-medicine/" class="health-medicine" >Health & Medicine</a> </li><li> <a href="/innovation/our-sustainable-future-180979462/" class="sustainability-hub" >Sustainability</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/technology/" class="technology" >Technology</a> </li><li> <a href="/videos/category/ingenuity/" class="ingenuity-video" >Video</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/acoustic/add/" class="ingenuity-newsletter" target="blank" >Newsletter</a> </li></ul> </li><li> <a href="/category/arts-culture/" class="arts-culture" >Arts & Culture</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/" class="museum-day" >Museum Day</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/art-artists/" class="art" >Art</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/books-2/" class="books" >Books</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/design/" class="design" >Design</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/food/" class="food" >Food</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/music-film/" class="music-film" >Music & Film</a> </li><li> <a href="/videos/category/arts-culture/" class="arts-culture-video" >Video</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/acoustic/add/" class="arts-culture-newsletter" target="blank" >Newsletter</a> </li></ul> </li><li> <a href="/category/travel/" class="travel" >Travel</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="/category/africa-middleeast/" class="africa-the-middle-east" >Africa & the Middle East</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/asia-pacific/" class="asia-pacific" >Asia Pacific</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/europe/" class="europe" >Europe</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/central-south-america/" class="central-and-south-america" >Central and South America</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/us-canada/" class="us-canada" >U.S. & Canada</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/?src=sjmod-t-h&utm_source=smithsonianmag&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=topnav/" class="journeys" target="blank" >Journeys</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/acoustic/add/" class="travel-newsletter" target="blank" >Newsletter</a> </li></ul> </li><li> <a href="/category/smithsonian-institution/" class="smithsonian-institution" >At The Smithsonian</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="https://www.si.edu/Visit" class="visit" target="blank" >Visit</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/events-exhibitions/" class="exhibitions" >Exhibitions</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/new-research/" class="new-research" >New Research</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/objects/" class="artifacts" >Artifacts</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/curators-corner/" class="curators-corner" >Curators' Corner</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/ask-smithsonian/" class="ask-smithsonian" >Ask Smithsonian</a> </li><li> <a href="/smithsonian-institution/sidedoor-smithsonian-podcast-180961115/" class="podcasts" >Podcasts</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/" class="voices" >Voices</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/acoustic/add/" class="ats-newsletter" target="blank" >Newsletter</a> </li></ul> </li><li> <a href="/podcast/" class="podcast" >Podcast</a> </li><li> <a href="https://photocontest.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/" class="photos" >Photos</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="https://photocontest.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/" class="photo-contest" >Photo Contest</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/smithsonianmagazine" class="instagram" target="blank" >Instagram</a> </li></ul> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/video/" class="video" >Video</a> <ul><li class="heading"> <a href="/videos/category/original-series/" class="original-series" >Original Series</a> </li><li> <a href="/videos/category/smithsonian-channel/" class="smithsonian-channel" >Smithsonian Channel</a> </li></ul> </li></ul> </div> <div class="secondary"> <div class="navWrap menu"> <ul><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/acoustic/add/" class="newsletters" target="blank" >Newsletters</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianstore.com/home.do?code=N2IBSMAD&utm_source=Smithsonianmag.com&utm_medium=shoplink&utm_campaign=hol2016" class="shop" target="blank" >Shop</a> </li></ul> </div> </div> <i class="fas fa-xmark"></i> </nav> </div> </header> <div class="article-special-wrap blogging"> <div class="article-special"> <div class="article-special-text"> <p class="hed"><a href="/blogs/">Smithsonian Voices</a></p> <p class="dek">From the Smithsonian Museums</p> </div> <div class="article-special-logo"> <a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/"><img src="https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/blogging/blog/logo_image/stri.si.edu.png" alt="Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute logo" /></a> </div> </div> </div> <article class="main-content article blog"> <header class="article-header"> <p class="section"><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/">SMITHSONIAN TROPICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE</a></p> <h1 class="headline" itemprop="headline">A 17-Year Study Reveals How Dead Leaves Are a Tropical Forest Lifeline</h1> <p class="subtitle" itemprop="description">A 17-year experiment in Panama revealed that the process of leaves falling and decomposing on the ground provides nutrients to the soil that help promote tree growth in otherwise infertile tropical forests.</p> <div class="article-line"> <section class="author-box by-line"> <div class="author-text"> <p class="author" itemprop="author"> <a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/author/leila-nilipour/" id="GTM-">Leila Nilipour</a> </p> <time class="pub-date" itemprop="datePublished" data-pubdate="February 22nd, 2024, 7:57AM">February 22, 2024</time> </div> </section> </div> <hr /> </header> <div class="article-columns"> <div class="articleLeft" data-article-body> <figure class="article-image lead-article-image"> <img src="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ucrTFtir3SJ0X0GDHbLlJmDAjlQ=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/af/ab/afabe412-4809-4c0a-b525-ec6c99dadd26/bci_20190518_srp-354.jpg" alt="BCI_20190518_SRP-354.jpg" itemprop="image" /> <figcaption class="caption"> </figcaption> </figure> <p>The noise of leaf blowers always seems to disrupt us in the worst possible moments. Blowing tree litter off patios, sidewalks, and driveways is commonly observed in suburban areas. Although it may not be aesthetically pleasing to look at for some, those fallen leaves are helping trees grow naturally. Researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and collaborating institutions actually spent 17 years moving litter around a forest in Panama to understand how it works. Their findings were published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2745.14251"><em>Journal of Ecology</em></a>.</p> <p>Tropical forests are among the most important ecosystems for combating global warming. Yet many of them grow on infertile soils. Scientists believed that trees could be reutilizing the nutrients in litterfall to continue growing in poor-quality ground but didn’t have direct evidence to prove it. Previous studies hadn’t been able to explore the question in a sufficiently large area or for long enough to assess the role of fallen leaves in tropical forests.</p> <p>To explore this theory, the Gigante Litter Manipulation Project (GLiMP) team worked in a tropical forest in Panama for nearly two decades. They took away dead leaves and plant material from some areas and put more in others. In other words, some trees got less litter than usual, while others got more - for 17 years.</p> <figure class="article-image center"> <img src="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/qRFgkiQVeiGg70qbiYKu_OEMMc4=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/59/52/5952eccf-e59f-46f3-9ada-4693f987d11e/bci_20190518_srp-330.jpg" alt="None" loading="lazy"/> <figcaption class="caption"> A 17-year-long study in forests of the Barro Colorado Natural Monument determined that the nutrients in leaf litter help promote tree growth in otherwise infertile tropical forest soils. <span class="credit">Jorge Alemán/STRI</span> </figcaption> </figure> <p>The experiment was something co-author Edmund Tanner (Cambridge University and STRI) had long wanted to do – since starting forest fertilization trials in Jamaica in the 1980s. However, locating a suitable site and an organization that would support a long-term experiment proved challenging. Unlike fertilizer studies, which can persist with just an annual visit, sustained effort is essential for litter removal trials; as soon as you stop removing litter, the experiment slowly dies.</p> <p>“The biggest challenge has been keeping the experiment running for long enough to measure changes in tree growth,” said lead author Emma Sayer, from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Ulm University and Lancaster University.</p> <p>In areas where the litter was removed, the trees didn't grow as well over time; eventually, they also started producing less litter. On the other hand, in areas with extra litter, the trees just showed a small, temporary increase in growth at the start of the experiment; after that, the extra litter only resulted in increased annual litterfall. </p> <figure class="article-image center"> <img src="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/Ghq8qyDDw70nvC66WcEcqegl9hg=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/f5/c8/f5c8ff32-5a7b-49d1-8dc0-62d4756040ae/bci_20190518_srp-345.jpg" alt="None" loading="lazy"/> <figcaption class="caption"> The trees that had the litter removed, and thus received fewer nutrients over time, changed their mycorrhizal fungal partners, which may have given them access to more nutrients from the soil. <span class="credit">Jorge Alemán/STRI</span> </figcaption> </figure> <p>The trees with decreased litter may have found ways to cope with fewer nutrients over time. For instance, they <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.14384">changed their mycorrhizal fungal partners</a>, which may have given them access to more nutrients from the soil. Another way they could have responded was by making their existing leaves last longer or by producing fewer new leaves and roots.</p> <p>Overall, the results of the experiment revealed that the process of leaves falling and decomposing on the ground provides nutrients to the soil that help promote tree growth in otherwise infertile tropical forests.</p> <p>“The size of the plots and the long duration of the experiment make it unique, and allowed us to test a theory that has remained untested for almost 40 years,” said Sayer. “STRI’s support for the experiment has been invaluable for achieving this.”</p> <p>Headquartered in Panama, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. The institute furthers the understanding of tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems.</p> <section class="author-box by-line single-author footer-author-box"> <div class="author-headshot"> <img src="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/YvcXq_Qz8hXSy9u1XZYEu3h-sy0=/fit-in/300x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/accounts/headshot/LeilaNilipour.jpg" alt="Leila Nilipour" class="headshot"/> </div> <div class="author-text"> <p class="author" itemprop="author"> <span class="author-name">Leila Nilipour</span> <span class="separator">|</span> <a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/author/leila-nilipour/" title="Read more from this author"><span class="author-smaller">READ MORE</span></a> </p> <p class="author-bio-text">Leila Nilipour is a bilingual science journalist, podcast producer and storyteller based in Panama City. </p> </div> </section> <section class="tag-list"> <nav class="nav-tags"> <a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/tag/Biodiversity/">Biodiversity</a> <a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/tag/Ecology/">Ecology</a> <a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/tag/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/">Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute</a> </nav> </section> </div> <div class="articleRight"> <aside> <!-- BEGIN Freestar: Tag ID - smithsonianmag_rail_right_1 --> <div align="center" data-freestar-ad="__300x600" id="smithsonianmag_rail_right_1" class=""> <script data-cfasync="false" type="text/javascript"> freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "smithsonianmag_rail_right_1", slotId: "smithsonianmag_rail_right_1" }); </script> </div> <!-- END Freestar: Tag ID - smithsonianmag_rail_right_1 --> <div class="widget-heading">Latest</div> <div class="widget-blog-list-no-images"> <div class="list-elements"> <p class="title"><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/10/24/scientists-for-scientists-wartime-grant-brings-ukrainian-bat-biologists-to-panama/">'Scientists for Scientists' Wartime Grant Brings Ukrainian Bat Biologists to Panama</a></p> <hr /> <p class="title"><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/07/23/between-pasture-and-forest-the-crusade-to-protect-the-jaguar-in-panama/">Between Pasture and Forest: The Crusade to Protect the Jaguar in Panama</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="widget-heading">Categories</div> <div class="widget-blog-list-no-images"> <ul> <li><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/category/connections-nature/">Connections in Nature</a> (15)</li> <li><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/category/life-deep-time/">Life in Deep Time</a> (10)</li> <li><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/category/origins-species-and-societies/">Origins of Species and Societies</a> (8)</li> <li><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/category/social-sciences/">Social Sciences</a> (6)</li> <li><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/category/sustaining-biodiverse-planet/">Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet</a> (25)</li> <li><a href="/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/category/tropical-research/">Tropical Research</a> (29)</li> </ul> </div> </aside> </div> </div> </article> <footer> <div class="footerLogo"> <a href="/"><img loading="lazy" src="/static/smithsonianmag/img/smithsonian_magazine_logo_black.46435ad4efd4.svg" alt="Smithsonian Magazine Logo in Black" width="120" height="33"/></a> </div> <div class="footerNav"> <div class="footerNavItem"> <p class="textlabel">Explore</p> <ul><li> <a href="/category/smart-news/" class="smart-news" >Smart News</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/history/" class="history" >History</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/science-nature/" class="science-nature" >Science</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/innovation/" class="innovation" >Innovation</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/arts-culture/" class="arts-culture" >Arts & Culture</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/travel/" class="travel" >Travel</a> </li><li> <a href="/category/smithsonian-institution/" class="smithsonian-institution" >At The Smithsonian</a> </li><li> <a href="/podcast/" class="podcast" >Podcast</a> </li><li> <a href="https://photocontest.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/" class="photos" >Photos</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/video/" class="video" >Video</a> </li></ul> </div> <div class="footerNavItem"> <p class="textlabel">Subscribe</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://subscribe.smithsonianmag.com/?idx=582&inetz=footer&promo_name=current-issue&promo_position=footer&promo_creative=link&promo_id=subscribe" id="www-footer-nav">Subscribe</a></li> <li><a href="https://subscribe.smithsonianmag.com/gift?idx=579&inetz=footer&promo_name=current-issue&promo_position=footer&promo_creative=link&promo_id=gift" id="fixed-footer-gift">Give a gift</a></li> <li><a href="https://ssl.drgnetwork.com/flex/SMT/SMRENEWAL/" id="fixed-footer-renew">Renew</a></li> <li><a href="https://ssl.drgnetwork.com/SMT/cs/gidSMALL/login" target="_blank" id="fixed-footer-manage-account">Manage My Account</a></li> </ul> <p class="textlabel spacing">Newsletters</p> <ul> <li><a href="/newsletters/">Sign Up</a></li> </ul> <p class="textlabel spacing"><a href="/licensing/">Content Licensing</a></p> </div> <div class="footerNavItem"> <p class="textlabel">Our Partners</p> <ul><li> <a href="https://www.si.edu/?utm_source=Smithsonianmag.com&utm_medium=globalfooter&utm_campaign=referlink" class="smithsonian-institution-2" target="blank" >Smithsonian Institution</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonian.com/?utm_source=Smithsonianmag.com&utm_medium=globalfooter&utm_campaign=referlink" class="smithsoniancom" target="blank" >Smithsonian.com</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianstore.com/" class="smithsonian-store" target="blank" >Smithsonian Store</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/catalog/?src=sjmod-new-hp&utm_source=smithsonianmag.com&utm_medium=module&utm_campaign=sjmod-new-hp&utm_content=footer" class="smithsonian-journeys" target="blank" >Smithsonian Journeys</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/?utm_source=Smithsonianmag.com&utm_medium=globalfooter&utm_campaign=referlink" class="smithsonian-channel2" target="blank" >Smithsonian Channel</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianbooks.com/?utm_source=Smithsonianmag.com&utm_medium=globalfooter&utm_campaign=referlink" class="smithsonian-books" target="blank" >Smithsonian Books</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.si.edu/support" class="smithsonian-membership" target="blank" >Smithsonian Membership</a> </li></ul> </div> <div class="footerNavItem"> <p class="textlabel">Terms of Use</p> <ul><li> <a href="/about/" class="about-smithsonian" >About Smithsonian</a> </li><li> <a href="/contact/" class="contact-us" >Contact Us</a> </li><li> <a href="/mediakit/" class="advertising" >Advertising</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/" class="rss" >RSS</a> </li><li> <a href="/member-services/" class="member-services" >Member Services</a> </li><li> <a href="/sustainability/" class="sustainability" >Sustainability</a> </li><li> <a href="https://www.si.edu/termsofuse" class="terms-of-use" target="blank" >Terms of Use</a> </li><li> <a href="/privacy/" class="privacy-statement-1" >Privacy Statement</a> </li><li> <a href="/privacy/cookie-policy/" class="cookie-policy" >Cookie Policy</a> </li><li> <a href="/privacy/ad-choices/" class="advertising-notice" >Advertising Notice</a> </li></ul> </div> </div> <div class="footerLinks"> <p> <p> <span>© 2024 Smithsonian Magazine</span> <span><a class="privacy-statement" href="/privacy/">Privacy Statement</a></span> <span><a class="cookie-policy-2" href="/privacy/cookie-policy/">Cookie Policy</a></span> <span><a class="terms-of-use-2" href="https://www.si.edu/termsofuse" target="blank">Terms of Use</a></span> <span><a class="advertising-notice-2" href="/privacy/ad-choices/">Advertising Notice</a></span> <span><a class="your-privacy-rights" href="/privacy/manage-my-data/">Your Privacy Rights</a></span> <span><a id="ot-sdk-btn" class="ot-sdk-show-settings">Cookie Settings</a></span> </p> </div> </footer> <!-- BEGIN Freestar: Tag ID - smithsonianmag_1x1_bouncex --> <div align="center" data-freestar-ad="__1x1" id="smithsonianmag_1x1_bouncex" class=""> <script data-cfasync="false" type="text/javascript"> freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "smithsonianmag_1x1_bouncex", slotId: "smithsonianmag_1x1_bouncex" }); </script> </div> <!-- END Freestar: Tag ID - smithsonianmag_1x1_bouncex --> <script> // ============================= // Updated sticky leaderboard ad // ============================= document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => { const header = document.querySelector('header'); const leaderboardAd = document.querySelector('#leaderboardAd'); const cmsToolbar = document.querySelector('.cms-toolbar'); // CMS toolbar adjustments if (cmsToolbar != null) { document.querySelector('html').style.marginTop = 0; document.querySelector('html').classList.remove('cms-toolbar-expanded'); cmsToolbar.style.backgroundColor = 'rgba(255,255,255,0.8)'; } // Only adjust spacing if leaderboard ad exists on the page if (leaderboardAd != null) { // Default spacing pre-ad load, adjusted for mobile if (window.innerWidth <= 782) { header.style.top = '70px'; header.nextElementSibling.style.marginTop = 65 + 'px'; } else if (window.innerWidth <= 969) { header.style.top = '110px'; header.nextElementSibling.style.marginTop = 105 + 'px'; } else { header.style.top = '250px'; header.nextElementSibling.style.marginTop = 245 + 'px'; } // Reset spacing based on loaded leaderboard ad height setTimeout(function () { if (cmsToolbar != null) { leaderboardAd.style.top = cmsToolbar.offsetHeight + 'px'; header.style.top = cmsToolbar.offsetHeight + leaderboardAd.offsetHeight + 'px'; header.nextElementSibling.style.marginTop = cmsToolbar.offsetHeight + leaderboardAd.offsetHeight + 'px'; } else { header.style.top = leaderboardAd.offsetHeight + 'px'; header.nextElementSibling.style.marginTop = leaderboardAd.offsetHeight + 'px'; } }, 3000); // Sticky ad for 5 seconds setTimeout(function () { const scrolledDistance = window.pageYOffset; let prevScrollPos = 0; const handleScroll = function () { if (this.window.pageYOffset > scrolledDistance) { const leaderboardAdRect = leaderboardAd.getBoundingClientRect(); const leaderboardAdVisibleHeight = Math.min(leaderboardAdRect.bottom, window.innerHeight) - Math.max(leaderboardAdRect.top, 0); let count = 0; // Manage spacing if leaderboard ad is visible on the screen while scrolling if ( (leaderboardAdRect.top >= 0 && leaderboardAdRect.top <= window.innerHeight) || (leaderboardAdRect.bottom >= -2 && leaderboardAdRect.bottom <= window.innerHeight && count === 0) ) { header.style.top = leaderboardAdRect.bottom - 2 + 'px'; leaderboardAd.style.top = '-' + (this.window.pageYOffset - scrolledDistance - 8) + 'px'; count++; } else { leaderboardAd.style.position = 'relative'; leaderboardAd.style.top = 0; header.style.top = 0; header.nextElementSibling.style.marginTop = 0; // Remove additional padding for article special if (document.querySelector('.main-content.article header') != null) { document.querySelector('.main-content.article header').style.paddingTop = 0; } window.removeEventListener('scroll', handleScroll); // Remove event listener } } }; window.addEventListener('scroll', handleScroll); }, 5000); } else { if (cmsToolbar != null) { header.style.top = cmsToolbar.offsetHeight + 'px'; header.nextElementSibling.style.marginTop = cmsToolbar.offsetHeight + header.offsetHeight + 'px'; } else { header.style.top = 0; header.nextElementSibling.style.marginTop = header.offsetHeight + 'px'; } } }); // ========================== // Close side menu on X click // ========================== document.querySelector('.fa-xmark').addEventListener('click', function() { document.getElementById('sideNav').classList.remove('open'); }); </script> <script>(function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'8e94ca5ce980832b',t:'MTczMjczODUyOS4wMDAwMDA='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.nonce='';a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&&(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();</script></body> </html>