a small leaf pile will destroy the grass underneath it quickly, but an even thicker snow pile that lasts for months throughout the winter seems to have no effect. Why?

Question

Editing just to say thanks to everyone who has contributed. The responses make perfect sense!

In: Biology

Answer 1

the composting process also hits non-dead things. imagine being covered in guts and gore and the bodies of a thousand fallen men, women and children, trying to survive for days and weeks on end without the slightest bit of air, fresh water or sunlight. all you can do is try and live from the corpsebile oozing down towards you.

exactly. i’d be more surprised if they DIDNT die, tbh

snow/winter makes plants hibernate and if that work for animals, then it cant be that hard for plants either, right?