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Living beings can be classified and distinguished in many different ways: according to the way in which they reproduce, the environment in which they live or the way in which they move, for example, however, one of the ways to classify them is depending on their role in the food chain.
Based on these criteria, we can distinguish between producing, consuming, and decomposing organisms. You want to know what are decomposing living beings with examples? In the following Green Ecologist article we will explain it to you, as well as the different types that exist and some of the most significant examples.
Decomposers: definition
Decomposing living beings are different organisms whose main function is take advantage of energy and organic matter that is in the remains of dead plants and animals. The two main types of decomposing living things are fungi and bacteria, however, as you will see later, there are many other types.
Their name indicates the function they perform: decompose. That is, when an organism dies, these living beings decompose the organic matter in their body and turn it into inorganic matter, which will pass to the earth and will serve to re-emerge the food chain. This happens because they release inorganic matter into the soil that will help plants and other organisms grow. We could say that decomposers they are the last link in the food chain, in turn, they are also the first link in the cycle of life.
Next we will talk about the different types of decomposing living beings, talking about the differences between them. In addition, we will explain what is the role of decomposers and what role they play in the ecosystem.
Types of decomposers
Insects
There are many insects that intervene in the decomposition of corpses, among them there are several genera, for example, some spiders, mites or lice. Also the larvae of mosquitoes, which feed on these decomposing matter. Finally, flies, blowflies, beetles or fruit flies also play a role in decomposition. Each of them plays a different role in the decomposition of matter. Appearing at some point or another in the decomposition process. For example, blowflies appear only at the beginning of decomposition, laying their eggs there which, when they become larvae, contribute to decomposition.
Bacteria
Bacteria are microorganisms that can be found almost anywhere: land, sea, air and even inside living organisms. The function of bacteria, within the process of decomposition of matter, is to recycle the carbon molecules into nutrients that will serve the plants.
Mushrooms
They can break down different types of dead matter, whether it's leaves, plants, or fecal matter. These fungi absorb nutrients from this matter in a very peculiar way. Saprobes, the main decomposing fungi, first release an enzyme into the dead matter and then absorb whatever nutrients they want. Among the saprobes we find shitake, a type of edible mushroom widely used in Japanese gastronomy or the typical aquatic mold that can be observed in ponds and lakes.
Other decomposers
There are other decomposers that do not fall into the previous categories, such as slugs, which are mollusks, or earthworms, which are annelids. In both cases they find in the decomposing matter a place to feed, in turn, when they excrete it, it leaves as food for plants.
Decomposers in the ecosystem
Decomposing animals are usually a very basic type of organism, however, they have a key role in the food chain and within an ecosystem. Its function is to clean and reuse the waste of producer and consumer animals, decomposing their remains. That is to say, they are in charge of absorbing and reusing the organic matter substances that plants and animals leave behind when they die.
As we have seen in the previous section, bacteria and fungi are the main decomposers however there are other types. Each of them at a time and in a different way, decomposers break up the remains to become inorganic matter.
Those found within the body of living beings act in the carbon dioxide recycling, an element used by plants during photosynthesis. In addition, they take advantage of their waste, fulfilling a basic function in the ecosystem and balancing the environment. When these die, they decompose it to turn them into inorganic matter and the cycle of life is restarted.
Decomposing organisms: examples
Then we leave you the examples of living beings decomposers:
- Worms
- Slugs
- Blowflies.
- Acari insect.
- Diptera insect.
- Calliphoridae insect.
- Trichoceridae insect.
- Saprophytic insect.
- Aranea insect.
- Silphidae insect.
- Histeridae insect.
- Shiitake mushrooms.
- Nematodes.
- Pseudomonas bacteria.
- Azotobacter bacteria.
- Achromobacter bacteria.
- Actinobacter bacteria.
- Aquatic mold fungi.
- Mucor mushrooms.
- Fungi mushrooms thistle.
- Beetles
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