EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Most decomposers are microscopic organisms, including protozoa and bacteria. Other decomposers are big enough to see without a microscope. They include fungi along with invertebrate organisms sometimes called detritivores, which include earthworms, termites, and millipedes.

Detailed explanation-2: -Lesson Summary. Most fungi are decomposers called saprotrophs. They feed on decaying organic matter and return nutrients to the soil for plants to use. Fungi are the only decomposers that can break down wood and the cellulose in plant cell walls, so they are the primary decomposers in forests.

Detailed explanation-3: -Fungi are the major decomposers of nature; they break down organic matter which would otherwise not be recycled.

Detailed explanation-4: -Fungi are known as great decomposers because they get energy by breaking down dead plants and animals. They usually don’t have chlorophyll so they can’t make their own food. They release enzymes that decompose dead plants and animals. They absorb nutrients from the organisms they are decomposing.