Decomposers

1. Decomposers
Decomposers are the organisms that break down dead and decaying organisms,
and carry out the natural process of decomposition once living things have died.
They use organic substrates to get their energy, carbon and nutrients for them to
grow and develop. Decomposers use deceased organisms and non-living organic
compounds as their food source. Decomposers are very important for any ecosystem.
They are also absolutely essential in the nutrient cycles.
All living things, including humans, are borrowing the
elements that make up their bodies. On death we need to
recycle them back so other plants and animals can use
them. . If they weren't in the ecosystem, the plants would
not get essential nutrients, and dead matter and waste
would pile up.
Bacteria Bacteria & fungi are a necessary part of the ecosystem and help with
the availability of plant nutrients and plant health. By decomposing
organic material for energy, these microorganisms help recycle
nutrients like nitrogen and carbon back into the environment. If it were
not for these decomposers, the organic carbon in dead and rotting
organisms would remain locked underground, effectively stopping the
carbon cycle. The carbon dioxide in air would be quickly depleted, and
there would be none left for plants to carry out photosynthesis.
Saprobic bacteria are one of the most important links in the carbon
cycle.
Fungi Fungi grow as a branching network of hyphae and use their hyphae to
penetrate larger pieces of organic matter. Only fungi have evolved the
enzymes necessary to decompose lignin, a chemically complex
substance found in wood. Fungi eat the dead matter by releasing acid
found in their body to melt the decaying material, and then sucking in
all the acid, along with the melted material. Over time, the fungi will
eat all the material left.
Agents Agents help to break the dead organisms or decaying matters into
smaller substances. This makes the rate of decomposition faster.