1. Decomposers Are Awesome

2. What are decomposers?!?
Decomposer: an organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms and returns the raw materials to the environment.
Two major groups of decomposers are bacteria and fungi. Invertebrates are also important so think FBI for decomposers.

3. Fungi
When bread sits around for too long, it starts to grow fuzzy white or green mold.
This is the work of fungus, a group of organisms or living things that include mold and mushrooms.
Like our bodies, mushrooms produce powerful chemicals that break down food.
These chemicals are called enzymes. As mushrooms release enzymes, they are able to dissolve organic matter around them.

4. Bacteria
Bacteria are living things so small that we cannot see them without the help of a microscope.
While some bacteria make us sick, other bacteria are used in medicine to keep us healthy.
For instance, one type of bacteria warms the compost pile so that the other bacteria can survive. As bacteria break down organic matter, nutrients are released into the compost.

5. Invertebrates
Invertebrates are animals that do not have backbones. They wriggle, crawl, and slide their way through the compost pile.
Invertebrates break down organic matter by chewing and grinding.
Slugs, snails, spiders, worms, beetles, mites, and ants are some members of the invertebrate work force!

6. Why are decomposers important?
All organisms in an ecosystem produce waste and eventually die. If these wastes and dead organisms were not somehow removed from the ecosystem, they would pile up until they overwhelmed the living things.
Also, the living organisms would continue to take water, minerals and nutrients from the surrounding areas until there were no more.
Decomposers return simple molecules to the environment to be used again by other organisms.