But together they convert dead plants and animals into forms that are useable either by themselves or other organisms. Almost all of them are tiny, and their function happens gradually in most cases, over months or years. Most of them work out of sight, and their handiwork isn’t immediately obvious, but they are the forest’s unsung heroes of recycling. It also includes woodlice, fungi, slime moulds, bacteria, slugs and snails, millipedes, springtails and earthworms. The detritivore community includes insects such as beetles and their larvae as well as flies and maggots (fly larvae). From a conventional human perspective, they are even undesirable. Most of them are inconspicuous and unglamorous. Collectively they are known as the detritivore community.Ī wide range of organisms takes part in the decomposition process. Each is responsible for a specific part of the decomposition process. Many of these decomposer species function in tandem or parallel with one another. Detritivore means literally ‘feeders on dead or decaying organic matter’. The species that carry out the process of decomposition are known as detritivores. These are the food source for many of the species at the base of ecosystems. It is the process whereby the dead tissues break down and are converted into simpler organic forms. ![]() It would also experience a decline in new growth, due to a shortage of nutrients that would be locked up and unavailable in the dead forms.ĭecomposition is the first stage in the recycling of nutrients that have been used by an organism (plant or animal) to build its body. Everything dies, and without decomposition and decay the world would overflow with plant and animal remains. Together they form two halves of the whole that is the closed-loop cycle of natural ecosystems. They play an essential role in the breakdown of organic matter, recycling it and making it available again for new organisms to utilise.ĭecomposition and decay are the yin to the yang of growth. However, decomposition and decay are vital processes in nature. Examples include urban decay, or, on a more personal level, tooth decay. The latter is similarly viewed as undesirable. The former is mainly associated with things that are rotten, have a bad smell and are generally symptomatic of death. ![]() In our modern-day human culture, decomposition and decay have often come to be viewed quite negatively.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |