Question:
Explain the function of decomposers and how the energy flow
through an ecosystem might be affected if decomposers were eliminated.
Mention how each trophic level might be affected by such a change.
Use the correct scientific terminology through out you explanation.
Student Answers:
The energy flow through an ecosystem is lowered.
Animals that eat dead things would increase and things
would never decompose.
The producers will not acquire the nutrients the
decomposers produce.
There would be less energy
The entire world would die.
More Student Answers.
The action of the decomposers makes nutrients contained in
the dead bodies and waste of organisms available to autotrophs.
Thus, the process of decomposers recycle chemical nutrients.
So if decomposers were eliminated the cycle would end and animal life
would die off.
Decomposers are one of the most important parts in an
ecosystem. They break down the
garbage from other organisms and make it into something useful like good soil
that is fertile. Without the
decomposers garbage would just pile up and w everything.
Because of garbage not much would be able to find food anywhere.
And if that were to happen the “food web” would start to fall apart
because everything would die of starvation.
If decomposers were eliminated the energy flow through an
ecosystem would decrease. Autotrophs
would no longer have the nutrients needed from decomposers.
This would affect the animals that feed on the autotrophs because they
would not be available. This
would in turn affect the animals that eat the animals that feed on the
autotrophs. As a whole, most of the
animals would die off due to lack of energy.
Maybe Better Answers:
If decomposers were eliminated the energy flow up through the different trophic levels would decrease because nutrients wouldn’t be “recycled” or returned to the soil so autotrophs or producers would no longer have the nutrients needed to grow and reproduce. The primary consumers such as the herbivores would also lack nutrients due to the lack of plants. Those carnivores that prey and feed on the herbivores would also suffer. There wouldn’t be enough energy either at the top or bottom trophic levels anymore to sustain the food web or food chain and the ecosystem would collapse.