Decomposers

• ​Any organism that breaks down dead and decaying organisms.

• The most common decomposers in an ecosystem are fungi and bacteria.

Decomposers

• There are microscopic bacteria and fungi found on almost everything.

• The bacteria and fungi is responsible for breaking down biomass.

• This is what causes food to rot.

• Decomposers recycle nutrients from the dead and decaying organisms back into the environment for other living organisms to use.

• Carbon and nitrogen are two of the elements recycled.

Open Ended

What would happen if all the decomposers disappeared from Earth?

Multiple Choice

If decomposers are removed from Earth, would food still rot?

• yes

• no

Multiple Choice

The main role of decomposers is to...

• alter the atmosphere

• eat living organisms

• help biomass decay

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is not a role of decomposers?

• breaking down biomass

• recycling nutrients

• releasing carbon and nitrogen back into the ecosystem

• helping producers with photosynthesis

Multiple Choice

If decomposers only eat dead organisms, do they compete with consumers for food?

• yes

• no

Multiple Choice

Which of the following would happen if decomposers disappeared?

• consumers would have more food

• nutrients would never recycle

• biomass would decay faster

• producers would have more sunlight

​As you move up the energy pyramid, the number of organisms and amount of energy found in each trophic level gets smaller.

The 10% Rule and Trophic Levels

Multiple Choice

Which trophic level contains the most energy?

• producers

• primary consumers

• secondary consumers

• tertiary consumers

Multiple Choice

Which trophic level contains the least energy?

• producers

• primary consumers

• secondary consumers

• tertiary consumers

Multiple Choice

Based on this food chain, what could happen to the population of owls if most beetles disappeared?

• It would stay the same since they don't eat beetles

• Fewer owls because there would be more plants

• Fewer owls because there will be less mice to eat

• There is no way to predict this

Multiple Choice

Based on this food chain, what is necessary for it to be sustainable?

• Many owls to keep mice populations low

• Many plants and few owls

• Equal numbers of each

• More beetles than plants