Decomposers

Decomposers are organisms which break down dead or decaying organic material. This most commonly includes bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates. The material broken down in decomposition is referred to as detritus. Detritus is matter composed of leaves and other plant parts, animal remains, waste products, and other organic debris that falls onto the soil or into bodies of water from surrounding terrestrial communities. [1]

Function

The purpose of decomposers is to carry out the decomposition process of organic matter. If organic matter did not go through the decomposition process, nitrogen would be “locked” in organic tissue making environments nutrient scarce. [3] Decomposers combat this by breaking down decaying matter and allowing nitrogen to continue to cycle through the environment. Making nutrients readily available provides the fuel needed for plants to grow.

Figure 1 Decomposers food web showing the energy transfer of decomposition. [2]

Decomposers break organic material into smaller fragments in a process known as fragmentation. [3]

Diversity

Fungi

Fungi are primarily multicellular eukaryotic organisms that are heterotrophic and play an important role in nutrient cycling within ecosystems. [4] There are both “good” and “bad” fungi in a given environment. “Good” fungi may serve to aid a plant in the uptake of nutrients while “bad” fungi can be responsible for impacts related to disease. Fungí communicate with plants through their hyphae networks called mycelium. [4]

Fungi serve a large role as decomposers. They can be either generalists or specialists. The most important function of fungi as decomposers is to provide growing plants with nitrogen. Nitrogen is provided in soil when fungi break down decaying organic material.

References

Citations

1. Lotha, Gloria. “Detritus.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 May 2020, https://www.britannica.com/science/detritus.
2. “Organisms in Composting.” Texas A&M AgriLife , Aggie Horticulture, Feb. 2009, https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/landscape/dont-bag-it/chapter-1-the-decomposition-process/. Accessed 1 Apr. 2023.
3. University, Utah State. “Decomposition: Herbarium.” Utah State University, https://www.usu.edu/herbarium/education/fun-facts-about-fungi/decomposition.
4. Editors, BD. “Fungi - Definition, Types and Examples.” Biology Dictionary, 4 Oct. 2019, https://biologydictionary.net/fungi/.