Nurse tree

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nurse-tree

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is a nurse tree or nurse log?A nurse log is a fallen tree that helps new seedlings grow. It gives them a warm, damp spot to start their life.
2. How do nurse logs help seeds grow?They provide a raised, well‑drained surface that stays moist. The wood slowly breaks down and releases nutrients that seedlings need.

Coarse Woody Debris (CWD): Fallen trees and large branches that remain on the forest floor for extended periods.
Forest Succession: The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.
Substrate: The surface or material on or from which an organism lives, grows, or obtains its nourishment.
Bryophytes: Non-vascular plants like mosses and liverworts that often colonize nurse logs.