Why are decomposers an important part of the ecosystem what would happen if they were absent?
Decomposers break down the dead remains of plants and animals and release the nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen etc. into the environment. In the absence of decomposers in the environment, this breakdown will not occur and hence, the nutrients will not be released.
What would happen if decomposers are missing in an ecosystem?
If decomposers are removed from ecosystem,there would be no organic nutrients and all the dead plants would destroy the animals habitat. The ecosystem will be fill by plants and animal wastes as there will be no decomposition of waste material.
Why are decomposers so important to the ecosystem?
Decomposers are like the housekeepers of an ecosystem. Without them, dead plants and animals would keep piling up with the nutrients the soil needs trapped inside. Decomposers clean up the dead material by processing it and returning the nutrients to the soil for the producers.
Which is the best decomposer of decaying matter?
They do this through a series of specialized proteins and enzymes in their cell walls and hyphae (root-like filaments). Fungi are particularly suited to penetrating large pieces of decaying matter like wood with their hyphae and breaking it down with lignin-digesting enzymes. Bacteria are also key organisms at the decomposer level.
Where does the energy of a decomposer come from?
There are many plant-like protists, such as algae, that get their energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. Some of the fungus-like protists, such as the slime molds (Figure below), decompose decaying matter. The animal-like protists must “eat” or ingest food. Some animal-like protists use their “tails” to eat.
How are decomposer bacteria used in the food chain?
Decomposer bacteria are responsible for fixing nitrogen in the soil, meaning they transform nitrogen into a form that can be used by other organisms in the food chain. Specifically, the bacteria take atmospheric nitrogen and turn it into molecules such as ammonia, nitrate and nitrite which can be used by plants.