Explore the Outdoors!
Decomposers are heterotrophs because they feed on the organic waste from other organisms. Heterotrophs feed on other organisms, while autotrophs produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. While all decomposers are heterotrophs, certain autotrophs play an important role in the decomposition process by converting decomposed nutrients into compounds that can be absorbed by plants.…
Sharks are carnivorous fish that live in the ocean. In the wild, sharks play an important role in the food web since they eat a wide variety of fish and provide a nutritious meal to many other animals in the sea. Sharks are not decomposers but can function as scavengers in the ocean. Whereas they…
Cockroaches are one of the most common insects found in households. They are Arthropods and can feed on plant-based as well as animal-based material. Cockroaches are important scavengers and detritivores in the environment, but they are not decomposers in the classical sense. They are omnivores that help break down organic matter, which recycles nutrients back…
Catfish are carnivores that mainly eat other fish. However, they are also scavengers and will eat just about anything they can find. This includes dead animals, insects, worms, and even smaller Catfish. Catfish are tertiary consumers in the food web. This means that they are predators that eat other predators. In the wild, they are…
Bristle worms are common invertebrates that live in everything from saltwater aquariums to soil and wood. They get their name from the bristles that cover their bodies and help them to eat, feel, and move. Bristle worms are indeed decomposers that function as detritivores and scavengers. Bristle worms are a diverse group of organisms. While…
Millipedes are omnivores that consume both plants and animals. In the wild, they play an important role in the food web as detritivores, breaking down dead plant and animal matter into smaller pieces that can be used by other organisms. While millipedes are not true decomposers, they do play a key role in the decomposition…
Producers are organisms that get their energy from their environment, for example, from the sun or from breaking down chemical compounds. Decomposers are a type of consumer that break down organic matter into simple chemical nutrients essential for producers. Even though different bird species have different diets, they are all consumers. In ecology, consumers are…
Sea slugs are a type of mollusc that live in the ocean. Like all gastropod molluscs, they have a soft body that, contrary to snails, is not protected by a hard shell. Sea slugs have lost their shell during the course of evolution and instead rely on other methods of defence – such as venom!…
Barnacles are filter feeders that live on the bottom of the sea. In the wild, barnacles form an important part of the food web since they eat a wide variety of food items and provide a nutritious meal to many other animals in the sea. Barnacles are not primarily decomposers but can function as scavengers…
Pigeons are interesting creatures that have adapted to live in cities alongside humans. Pigeons and birds are omnivores, which means they will eat almost anything. However, in the wild, their diet consists of seeds, insects, fruits and plants. It also varies a bit between species, but here I will focus on the rock pigeon most…
