Decomposers
Science: KS3, topic 1.3.8
Decomposers
Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, are responsible for recycling organic matter within an ecosystem. They produce compost, which is used by farmers to return important nutrients to the soil.
Last stop in food chains
Enzymes
- Decomposers break down dead material by secreting (producing) enzymes.
- Enzymes partly digest the waste products, producing small and soluble food molecules.
- These small soluble molecules can then diffuse into the decomposer.
Test yourself on Decomposers
What is the role of decomposers in a food chain?
What would most likely happen to nutrients if decomposers stopped breaking down dead organisms?
Why does breaking organic matter into small, soluble molecules help a decomposer get food?