What is the role of decomposers in ecosystem

Fungi play an important role in energy cycling within, and between, ecosystems. Fungi are found in terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments, and are part of a diverse community of “decomposers” that break down dead plants and animals. Aside from fungi, this community includes bacteria, tiny invertebrates, such as nematodes, and larger invertebrates, like snails, beetles and earthworms. Fungi transform organic matter into forms that can be utilized by other decomposers, and into food for plants. Fungi live everywhere that moisture is present. They can be found as single-celled organisms, like yeast, that are invisible to the naked eye, and as multiple-celled organisms, like mushrooms, that are made up of strands of cells called “hyphae.” Fungi are so widespread and numerous that they make up a large proportion of the biomass in any given ecosystem. Fungi play a very important part in the decomposition process, because they can break down tough organic materials, such as cellulose and lignin, which invertebrates find difficult to digest. Fungi release digestive enzymes that are used to metabolize complex organic compounds into soluble nutrients, such as simple sugars, nitrates and phosphates. Unlike animals, that digest food inside their bodies, fungi digest food outside of their “bodies” and then absorb the nutrients into their cells. Nutrient Cycling Plants require nutrients for growth, but nutrients are seldom freely available in soil or water because they are lock...

Trees shed their old leaves and animals leave droppings containing the indigestible parts of their food – such as plant fibres or bones. Back to basics All this dead stuff has run out of energy. It can’t grow any more. But it is still vital to life, because it contains chemicals that are the basic building blocks of all living things. These chemicals get recycled into the food web with the help of organisms called decomposers. Breaking it down Decomposers are organisms that break down dead plants or animals into the substances that plants need for growth. There are many kinds of decomposer. Each helps recycle food in its own way. Fungi release chemicals to break down dead plants or animals into simple substances. They absorb some of these substances for growth, but others enter the soil. Earthworms digest rotting plant and animal matter as they swallow soil. The waste that comes out of their bodies at the other end contains the important minerals, all ready for plants to take up again. Bacteria are tiny, microscopic organisms. Some kinds live on other living things – for instance, there are millions inside your gut helping you to digest your food. Others live on dead things, and help break them down into the minerals in the soil. Decomposers in the food chain Here’s how a woodland food chain looks when you add decomposers:

Decomposers play an important role in the circle of life—without them, waste would just pile up! These activities help students study decomposers, with particular relevance to waste cycling and sustainability. Decomposers are made up of the FBI (fungi, bacteria and invertebrates—worms and insects). They are all living things that get energy by eating dead animals and plants and breaking down wastes of other animals. Compostable or biodegradable waste is waste from once living organisms that can be broken down and recycled by decomposers. In our homes, we can recycle food waste into usable nutrients using worms as decomposers. Decomposers are also used in industrial applications such as oil spill cleanups. LIST OF ACTIVITIES Objectives • List and identify examples of decomposers and describe their role within a simple food web. • Differentiate between compostable waste and non-biodegradable waste. • Explore the active process of decomposition. • Create a worm compost farm. Materials • See activities for materials. Background Energy enters the food chain from the sun. Producers (e.g. plants) create complex organic substances (essentially food) using energy from sunlight and other materials. Consumers (e.g. animals) get their energy by eating the producers and/or other consumers. Scavengers and decomposers get their energy by eating dead plants or animals. Rotting food (or food that’s gone ‘bad’) doesn’t look or smell great but it contains a wealth of nutrients, including car...

Decomposers are living things that get their energy from the waste materials of other organisms. The rainforest ecosystem relies on these organisms to break down waste materials into usable energy for other plants. Because of the abundance of life in the rainforest, the process of decomposition happens quickly and at a large scale. Although these organisms are small and often overlooked, decomposers are the most important component of the rainforest ecosystem. Without them, the rainforest floor would be piled high with organic litter such as branches and leaves. The soil of the rainforest would quickly run out of nutrients and the rainforest's primary producers, trees, would not be able to survive. Termites and Leaf-Cutter Ants Termites and leaf-cutter ants are types of decomposers found in rainforests. Of these, termites are the more dominant decomposers. Their numbers exceed a thousand individuals per ten square feet, with a total biomass of approximately 4,409 lbs. per hectare. Ants and termites consume approximately one third of the organic litter; however, they do not digest everything. Part of their role as rainforest decomposers is to break down larger matter such as fallen trees and leaves into smaller pieces which are then digested by other organisms such as fungi, worms and slugs. After the termites and leaf-cutter ants have broken down the large organic waste into smaller pieces, the decomposition process continues with smaller organisms such as slugs, fungi and...

Insects, like ants and beetles, will shred most of the leafy matter into tiny pieces with the help of protozoans and little crustaceans called ​ amphipods​. Once the deadfall has been chewed into fine pieces, bacteria, protozoans and microbes get to work breaking those particles into even smaller pieces. When this happens, nutrients that were locked up in the dead material are freed so the producers can use them again. The Role of Predators in the System In mangroves, the creatures feeding on plants are often fish, insects or even decomposers (not much feeds on mangroves directly). As the fish are eaten by predators, their energy and nutrients become another link in the chain. Herons, larger fish and even crocodiles can act as predators in this system. Mangrove ecosystems are some of the most productive in the world. They support many species of fish, amphibians, reptiles and other animals. Many of those fish species feed other species that visit the mangroves, in turn supporting whole communities. It’s estimated that 75 percent to 90 percent of fisheries on the Florida coast are supported by mangroves.

\( \newcommand\) • • • • Can you pick out the organisms at the bottom and at the top of this food chain? What's at the bottom of this food chain? Plankton. These tiny creatures incorporate energy from the Sun through photosynthesis. The energy is then passed between the various levels of the food chain. After plankton, corals are next. Coral are animals that live with tiny zooxanthellae that also photosynthesize. This means that all of the energy in the food chain originates from the Sun! Of course, you know what's at the top of this food chain! Roles in Ecosystems All ecosystems have living things that play the same basic roles. Some organisms must be producers. Others must be consumers. Decomposers are also important. Producers Producers are living things that use energy to make food. Producers make food for themselves and other living things. There are two types of producers: • By far the most common producers use the energy in sunlight to make food. This is called photosynthesis. Producers that photosynthesize include plants and algae. These organisms must live where there is plenty of sunlight. • Other producers use the energy in chemicals to make food. This is called chemosynthesis. Only a very few producers are of this type, and all of them are microbes. These producers live deep under the ocean where there is no sunlight. An example is pictured below ( Figure below). Microbes use chemicals to make food. The chemicals pour out of a crack on the ocean floor at a mid-...

Decomposers are living things that get their energy from the waste materials of other organisms. The rainforest ecosystem relies on these organisms to break down waste materials into usable energy for other plants. Because of the abundance of life in the rainforest, the process of decomposition happens quickly and at a large scale. Although these organisms are small and often overlooked, decomposers are the most important component of the rainforest ecosystem. Without them, the rainforest floor would be piled high with organic litter such as branches and leaves. The soil of the rainforest would quickly run out of nutrients and the rainforest's primary producers, trees, would not be able to survive. Termites and Leaf-Cutter Ants Termites and leaf-cutter ants are types of decomposers found in rainforests. Of these, termites are the more dominant decomposers. Their numbers exceed a thousand individuals per ten square feet, with a total biomass of approximately 4,409 lbs. per hectare. Ants and termites consume approximately one third of the organic litter; however, they do not digest everything. Part of their role as rainforest decomposers is to break down larger matter such as fallen trees and leaves into smaller pieces which are then digested by other organisms such as fungi, worms and slugs. After the termites and leaf-cutter ants have broken down the large organic waste into smaller pieces, the decomposition process continues with smaller organisms such as slugs, fungi and...

Trees shed their old leaves and animals leave droppings containing the indigestible parts of their food – such as plant fibres or bones. Back to basics All this dead stuff has run out of energy. It can’t grow any more. But it is still vital to life, because it contains chemicals that are the basic building blocks of all living things. These chemicals get recycled into the food web with the help of organisms called decomposers. Breaking it down Decomposers are organisms that break down dead plants or animals into the substances that plants need for growth. There are many kinds of decomposer. Each helps recycle food in its own way. Fungi release chemicals to break down dead plants or animals into simple substances. They absorb some of these substances for growth, but others enter the soil. Earthworms digest rotting plant and animal matter as they swallow soil. The waste that comes out of their bodies at the other end contains the important minerals, all ready for plants to take up again. Bacteria are tiny, microscopic organisms. Some kinds live on other living things – for instance, there are millions inside your gut helping you to digest your food. Others live on dead things, and help break them down into the minerals in the soil. Decomposers in the food chain Here’s how a woodland food chain looks when you add decomposers:

Fungi play an important role in energy cycling within, and between, ecosystems. Fungi are found in terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments, and are part of a diverse community of “decomposers” that break down dead plants and animals. Aside from fungi, this community includes bacteria, tiny invertebrates, such as nematodes, and larger invertebrates, like snails, beetles and earthworms. Fungi transform organic matter into forms that can be utilized by other decomposers, and into food for plants. Fungi live everywhere that moisture is present. They can be found as single-celled organisms, like yeast, that are invisible to the naked eye, and as multiple-celled organisms, like mushrooms, that are made up of strands of cells called “hyphae.” Fungi are so widespread and numerous that they make up a large proportion of the biomass in any given ecosystem. Fungi play a very important part in the decomposition process, because they can break down tough organic materials, such as cellulose and lignin, which invertebrates find difficult to digest. Fungi release digestive enzymes that are used to metabolize complex organic compounds into soluble nutrients, such as simple sugars, nitrates and phosphates. Unlike animals, that digest food inside their bodies, fungi digest food outside of their “bodies” and then absorb the nutrients into their cells. Nutrient Cycling Plants require nutrients for growth, but nutrients are seldom freely available in soil or water because they are lock...

\( \newcommand\) • • • • Can you pick out the organisms at the bottom and at the top of this food chain? What's at the bottom of this food chain? Plankton. These tiny creatures incorporate energy from the Sun through photosynthesis. The energy is then passed between the various levels of the food chain. After plankton, corals are next. Coral are animals that live with tiny zooxanthellae that also photosynthesize. This means that all of the energy in the food chain originates from the Sun! Of course, you know what's at the top of this food chain! Roles in Ecosystems All ecosystems have living things that play the same basic roles. Some organisms must be producers. Others must be consumers. Decomposers are also important. Producers Producers are living things that use energy to make food. Producers make food for themselves and other living things. There are two types of producers: • By far the most common producers use the energy in sunlight to make food. This is called photosynthesis. Producers that photosynthesize include plants and algae. These organisms must live where there is plenty of sunlight. • Other producers use the energy in chemicals to make food. This is called chemosynthesis. Only a very few producers are of this type, and all of them are microbes. These producers live deep under the ocean where there is no sunlight. An example is pictured below ( Figure below). Microbes use chemicals to make food. The chemicals pour out of a crack on the ocean floor at a mid-...