Download decomposer Powerpoint

The Role of
Decomposers in the
Ecosystem
What are
Decomposers?
 Decomposers:
 (defined)
Organisms that
use dead plant
and animal
material as food.
Role in the
environment
Decomposers break down material,
getting the energy they need to live
and releasing elements back into
the environment to be reused by
other organisms.
Simple Terms
Decomposers eat dead things and
turn them back into dirt, or soil.
This cattle was killed by a pack of
wolves.
Once this cattle dies, decomposers start to go
to work. They eat away at the flesh and bones
of the animal until there is nothing much left.
Decomposers
are….
 Simple plants
such as bacteria
and fungi. Most
are microscopic
organisms
 Example:
mushrooms
Decomposers are
also…
Worms and
other bugs
found in or
around the soil
Decomposers in a
pond
 Located everywhere
but more abundant at
the bottom where
dead plants and
animals settle.
 Fun Fact! This is
why the muck (mud)
at the bottom of a
pond smells bad
Decomposers in a
forest
 They live in the
top part of the
soil, being above
ground
 Examples include
mushrooms and
other fungi
Making Connections
 Decomposers are
like the janitors of
nature.