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Some animals are just as important to the ecosystem as bees. This is because they break down minerals in dead organic matter and return them to the food chain without wasting materials or energy. Earthworms are the number one animal that comes to mind along with bacteria and fungi, but there are others and not all of them decompose equally. Here are 9 animals that are types of decomposers.
Destroyers vs Detritophages
There is a difference between a decomposer and a detritus feeder. A destroyer is an animal that can break down dead matter, and a detritus animal is a decomposer of invertebrates such as centipedes, termites, and earthworms. The name “detritus feeders” means a devourer of detritus, that is, dead matter. Centipedes, termites, and earthworms are animals that are classified as both decomposers and detritivores. In any case, animal decomposers trap dead matter from plant and animal waste to make room for new growth and re-growth in the ecosystem.
Decomposers keep the ecosystem healthy by converting dead matter and waste into nutrients from minerals and elements for plants. All living organisms return to Earth as food, so nothing is lost since most nutrients are not new. Bees pollinate plants and scavengers eat rotting animals, but decomposers play a role in the nutrient cycle of the food chain. Some destructors are only destructors, while others are also detritivores. The importance of degrading animals is why organic, recyclable or biodegradable products have become so popular in protecting the environment.
# 9: Worms
Ringworms and segmented worms are members of Phylum Annelida. Earthworms are the best example of decomposers because they live inside the soil and are easy to find, especially after rain. Their extensive diet allows them to break down plant material, dead matter, bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. Due to their diet, which includes smaller digesters, they play a unique role in the food chain and ecosystem.
# 8: mushrooms
Fungi have their own classification with a unique kingdom that includes yeast, mold, and fungi. These eukaryotic organisms, whose cell nuclei are surrounded by a nuclear envelope, are different from bacteria, plants, animals, and some protozoa. They can be unicellular or multicellular. Their habitat is soil and dead matter. When the bread becomes stale and mold grows on it, it is the base of the antibiotic penicillin, which is cleared from the base mold. Some forms are pests or can serve as biological control agents for pests and invasive plants. Yeast is used for leavening bread and leavening food products. During fermentation, carbohydrates or sugars are converted to organic acids or alcohol under anoxic (anaerobic) conditions.
# 7: microscopic organisms
Protozoa and bacteria are the main microorganisms that play a key role as decomposers in animals. They are microscopic. Protozoa, slime molds (also called mushroom protists) and algae are eukaryotic and belong to the protist kingdom, while bacteria belong to the moner kingdom. Protista includes all organisms other than plants, animals, or fungi.
However, not all protozoa are destructors. The giant amoeba is an example of this. Not all protists are also decomposers, unless they feed on dead matter. Protists typically feed on bacteria, micro-fungi, and unicellular algae, helping to control both organic and chemical pollution. On the other hand, bacteria are used to ferment dairy, meat and other foods, and to create acidic foods such as yogurt and sauerkraut. However, under normal air conditions, bacteria decompose organic or dead matter and render it rancid.
# 6: fly larvae
Fly grubs, also known as grubs, are voracious eaters of dead and rotting matter. The mother lays eggs in dead or rotting matter for the larvae to use as a food source. After hatching from the eggs, the larvae feed for about five days, and then find a dark and dry place where they develop in the pupal phase. Feeding on a dead body, they liquefy tissues and prepare them for bacteria.
# 5: centipedes
Most of us are familiar with centipedes. Centipedes are arthropods that feed on a dead body, unlike millipedes, which are predators and feed on insects and other smaller arthropods. Centipede means one thousand feet, and centipede means one hundred feet.
# 4: Termites
The pests known as termites destroy rotting and dead wood. How do they do it? They have protozoa in their stomachs that can break down cellulose into easily digestible sugars. Inside these protozoa, which are the simplest, live beneficial bacteria that participate in the metabolic process. Newborn termites become infected with protozoa by eating the feces of old termites.
# 3: Sowbugs
Sows, like pills, feed on dead matter, namely rotting and dead vegetation and compost. They are distinguished by the fact that bugs cannot curl up into a ball and have two small tail-shaped processes at the ends. Both are terrestrial crustaceans, which are also called isopods. Bedbugs, also called wood lice, are pests in humid and cold places in the home.
# 2: beetles
Beetles, especially scavengers, eat dead matter from other organisms and secrete organic granules that fertilize plants. They break down dead matter, turning it into small enough pieces that can return to the ecosystem, namely with feces. The beetles also remove excrement and create tunnels that make it easier for other decomposers to feed.
# 1: slugs
Slugs are known for their slime and slowness. The word “sluggish” means to be lazy and slow like a slug. But slugs, especially banana slugs, are important decomposers of animals in the ecosystem. Similar to shellless snails, these gastropods love moist or moist soil to hold a layer of mucus on their bodies and eat dead plant matter, moss, fungal spores, and animal droppings. Banana slugs are the largest slugs in the United States, named for their yellow color, although they can also be green, brown, or white with some sporty brown spots that make them look like ripe bananas.
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