What Is the Role of Decomposers in an Ecosystem?
False
True or False: Glass jars, metal, and plastic produce good compost.
True
True or False: Grass clippings, fruit, and vegetable peels, leaves, eggshells, coffee grounds, and shredded newspaper produce good compost.
nutrients
Wastes substances from decomposers are __________ that plants need to grow. Plants use their roots to take this from the soil.
A mixture of soil and decaying matter that provides the materials that plants need.
What is a compost?
An organism that breaks down dead organisms and their wastes.
What is a decomposer?
recycle matter
When decomposers break down dead organisms, they return their matter to the air and soil.
air, soil, and water
When decomposers die, its once living material become waste. All these wastes are released into the _____,_____, and _____.
brown matter
wood chips, brown leaves, hay, and newspaper in a compost are called _____
compost
A mixture of soil and decaying matter that provides the materials that plants need.
decomposer
An organism that breaks down dead organisms and their wastes.
No
Are humans decomposers?
One group of organisms that are too small to be seen without a microscope.
Define bacteria.
One group of living things that are neither plant nor animal. They release digestive juices into dead materials.
Define fungi.
Humans can build compost piles.
How can humans help decomposers?
fungi
One group of living things that are neither plant nor animal. They release digestive juices into dead materials.
bacteria
One group of organisms that are too small to be seen without a microscope.
sugar
Some decomposers can store excess food they eat as __________.
sugar
Some decomposers, like mushrooms and other fungi, can store food as _________________.
carbon dioxide and solid waste
What are the two wastes that some decomposers can produce?
Their wastes will return some substances to the soil which will help the tree grow next season.
When decomposers start to break down apples on the ground, how will their wastes help the apple trees?
green matter
vegetable peels, apple core, rotten fruit, left over food in a compost are called _____
