Decomposer

Decomposer
The fungi on this tree are decomposers

Decomposers (or saprotrophs) are organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms, and in doing so carry out the natural process of decomposition. Like herbivores and predators, decomposers are heterotrophic, meaning that they use organic substrates to get their energy, carbon and nutrients for growth and development. Decomposers use deceased organisms and non-living organic compounds as their food source. The primary examples are:

Contents

Bacteria

Bacteria are important decomposers; they are widely distributed and can break down just about any type of organic matter.[1] A gram of soil typically contains 40 million bacterial cells, and the bacteria on Earth form a biomass that exceeds that of all living plants and animals. Bacteria are vital in the recycling nutrients, and many steps in nutrient cycles depend on these organisms.

[[File:Example.jpg'Italic text''Italic text''''Bold text''''']]== Fungi == The primary decomposers of litter in many ecosystems are fungi. Unlike bacteria, which are unicellular organisms, most saprotrophic fungi grow as a branching network of hyphae. While bacteria are restricted to growing and feeding on the exposed surfaces of organic matter, fungi can use their hyphae to penetrate larger pieces of organic matter. Additionally, only wood-decay fungi have evolved the enzymes necessary to decompose lignin, a chemically complex substance found in wood. These two factors make fungi the primary decomposers in forests, where litter has high concentrations of lignin and often occurs in large pieces. Fungi eat the dead matter by releasing acid found in their body to melt the decaying material, then sucking in all the acid, along with the melted material.[citation needed] Over time, the fungi will eat all the material left. Hyphae are used to drain the melted material and acid are also used in sexual reproduction. When two fungi's hyphae grow close to each other, they will then fuse together and form another fungus.[citation needed] That new fungus will then mature. --173.67.232.18 (talk) 23:56, 22 November 2011 (UTC)[[File:Example.jpg]]

Worms

Various types of worms are also considered decomposers, as they act as scavengers. For example, a worm that begins to consume an apple helps to hasten its decay by removing parts of the skin and flesh, exposing the interior of the fruit to the elements and to other decomposers. Certain species of roundworms will also help to decompose the bodies of animals[citation needed].

See also

References

  • Beare MH, Hendrix PF, Cheng W (1992) Microbial and faunal interactions and effects on litter nitrogen and decomposition in agroecosystems. Ecological Monographs 62: 569-591
  • Hunt HW, Colema9n DC, Ingham ER, Ingham RE, Elliot ET, Moore JC, Rose SL, Reid CPP, Morley CR (1987) "The detrital food web in a shortgrass prairie". Biology and Fertility of Soils 3: 57-68
  • Smith TM, Smith RL (2006) Elements of Ecology. Sixth edition. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA.
  • Swift MJ, Heal OW, Anderson JM (1979) Decomposition in Terrestrial Ecosystems. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.



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  • décomposer — [ dekɔ̃poze ] v. tr. <conjug. : 1> • 1541 ; de dé et composer 1 ♦ Sc. Diviser, séparer en éléments constitutifs. ⇒ désagréger, dissocier, diviser, séparer. Décomposer de l eau par électrolyse. Le prisme décompose la lumière solaire en ses… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • décomposer — DÉCOMPOSER. v. act. Terme de Chimie. Réduire un corps à ses principes, ou séparer les parties dont il est composé. C est la même chose qu Analiser. Les Chimistes décomposent les corps mixtes par le moyen du feu, et les résolvent en soufre, sel,… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • decomposer — 1833, a decomposing agent, agent noun from DECOMPOSE (Cf. decompose) …   Etymology dictionary

  • decomposer — Decomposer. v. a. Terme de Physique. Resoudre un corps mixte dans ses principes. Les Chymistes decomposent les corps mixtes par le moyen du feu, & les resolvent en souffre, sel & mercure. Il signifie aussi, Deconcerter, faire perdre la gravité,… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • décomposer — (dé kon pô zé) v. a. 1°   Séparer un corps en ses parties simples. La chimie a décomposé la potasse en oxygène et potassium. •   C est là [dans les mines], c est encor là que, cachant sa puissance, L éternel ouvrier, dans un profond silence,… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • DÉCOMPOSER — v. a. Analyser un corps, le réduire à ses principes, séparer les éléments dont il est composé. Les chimistes décomposent les corps en les faisant agir les uns sur les autres. On dit dans un sens analogue, en Physique, Décomposer les rayons… …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 7eme edition (1835)

  • DÉCOMPOSER — v. tr. T. de Chimie Diviser un corps en ses éléments composants. Les chimistes décomposent les corps en les faisant agir les uns sur les autres. On dit dans un sens analogue, en termes de Physique, Décomposer les rayons solaires, la lumière. Fig …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 8eme edition (1935)

  • decomposer — UK [ˌdiːkəmˈpəʊzə(r)] / US [ˌdɪkəmˈpoʊzər] noun [countable] Word forms decomposer : singular decomposer plural decomposers biology a living thing, especially a bacterium or fungus that causes something to decay by a slow natural process …   English dictionary

  • decomposer — An organism that breaks down complex materials into simpler ones, including the release of simple inorganic products. Often a decomposer such as an insect or earthworm physically reduces the size of substrate particles …   Dictionary of microbiology

  • Decomposer (album) — Decomposer Studio album by The Matches Released September 11, 2006 (International) …   Wikipedia

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