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Decomposers
This category covers questions about decomposers, organisms that break down other dead or decaying organisms to obtain energy for growth and development. Decomposers are formally known as saprotrophs.
510 Questions
What are decomposers in general mean?
Decomposers are an essential part of the food chain. Decomposers, or saprotrophs, break down dead plants and animals into chemical nutrients like carbon and nitrogen that are released back into the soil, air, and water, so they can be reused. The three main types of decomposers are bacteria, fungi, and scavengers.
Bacteria are the smallest of all living organisms. They eat dead animal carcasses and plants. Actinomycetes are a form of fungi-like bacteria. They decompose tough plant tissues like bark, paper, and stems.
Fungi release enzymes that decompose dead plants and animals. They absorb nutrients from the organism they are decomposing. Fungi are very efficient in breaking down tough organisms like wood and often work together with bacteria to decompose plants.
Scavengers are animals that eat dead plants and animals. Cockroaches, the Dung Beetle, and flies are examples of scavengers. Worms, like the earthworm, eat dead plants, animals, and small pebbles. Their waste comes out in "casts." Theses casts are rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash.
Decomposers help complete the Food Web cycle, returning essential molecules to the producers.
What impact can the tiniest insect have on the lives of other creatures?
Some animals specifically prey upon tiny insects. If those tiny insects somehow disappear, those animals will starve.
The food chain continues in such a manner that if that's the only thing that they eat, then those animals will starve and die. And so on upward through the food chain.
I a bee (a tiny insect) goes up your nose while you are driving your car, you may lose control of it and the result might be a serious loss of life.
What are producer consumer and decomposers?
Producers are organisms that can create their own food from raw chemicals and energy from sunlight. (Plants)
Consumers are organisms that can't make their own food so they kill and eat other living things to live. (Cows and Tigers)
Decomposers are organisms that eat the stuff that consumers leave behind, they rot things away and release the chemicals for producers to re use. (Mushrooms and bacteria).
decomposers' mostly/commonly eat trash, the dead remains of animals, droppings, and last dead plant life.
Yes, they are. They have protozoa in their stomachs do help digest the wood.
