Decomposer

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For the Matches album of the same name go here- Decomposer (album)

The fungi on the tree are decomposers.

1 Overview
2 Types of Decomposers
3 See also
4 Resources

[edit] Overview

Decomposers (or saprotrophs) are an organism that requires organic substrates to get its carbon for growth and development. organisms that obtain their energy from deceased organisms. They, themselves, are organisms (often fungi, Earthworms or bacteria) that break down organic materials to gain nutrients and energy. Decomposition is a natural process that will happen by default, but decomposers accelerate the process. The role that decomposers perform in an ecosystem is extremely important. Without them, organic matter would be piled up on our grounds from past years. In addition, some plants would not receive the required nutrients and might die. When an organism dies, it leaves behind nutrients that are locked tightly together. A scavenger may eat the carcass, but its feces still contains a considerable amount of unused energy and nutrients. Decomposers will later induce further breakdown. This last step releases raw nutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium) in a form usable to plants, which quickly incorporate the chemicals into their own cells. This process greatly increases the nutrient-load of an ecosystem, in turn allowing for greater biodiversity. An example of decomposers is the numerous fungi on the right; they break down the dead tree converting its remaining stored energy to free energy. Although, Decomposers are generally located on the bottom of ecosystem diagrams such as food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids; the decomposers in the biosphere are crucial to the environment. By breaking down dead material, they provide some of the required nutrients that other organisms need to survive.