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What is a decomposer?

A decomposer is an organism that breaks down organic material, thus keeping nutrients in the ecosystem. At the bottom of the food chain, decomposers break down dead plants and animals and other types of waste into things like nitrogen and carbon and release those nutrients into the soil in the natural process of decomposition. Decomposers are unique in their ability to reduce organic material to chemical components.


Some decomposers are microscopic, such as bacteria. Other decomposers are much larger, such as fungi, snails, slugs, worms, and insects. Although decomposers primarily serve the environment by recycling dead plants and animals, decomposers can begin the process of decomposition while a plant or animal is still alive. Furthermore, several types of decomposers can work together to complete the process of decomposition.

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