Decay Flashcards
What do microorganisms do?
Break down food and plants
What causes decay?
Microorganisms
Who is decomposition done by?
Microorganisms like-
Soil bacteria
Fungi
(Known as decomposers)
What 3 things does the rate of decay DEPEND on?
Temperature -
warm temperature speed up respiration in microorganisms (which increases rate of decay)
Amount of water-
Rate is faster when moist as microorganisms need water
Amount of oxygen-
Microorganisms can respite aerobically, therefore providing more energy
(Remember that energy releases better from glucose in aerobic reactions compared to anaerobic reactions)
What 2 type of organisms feed on decaying materials?
- De…
- Sa
Detritivores
Saprophytes
What do detritivores feed on?
Dead and decaying materials (detritus)
Give me 3 examples of a type of detritivore?
Earthworm
Maggots
Woodlice
What do detritivores do to feed on their materials?
As they feed on decaying materials
They break into smaller pieces creating a larger surface area
Let smaller decomposers work on the materials
Speeds up decaying
What do saprophytes feeds on?
Dead and decaying materials
Give me an example of a saprophyte
Fungi
How to saprophytes feet on their dead materials?
By extracellular digestion
They release digestive enzymes in material outside the cell
Enzyme break down material in smaller pieces
Can be absorbed by saprophytes
What are decomposers good at?
Returning nutrient back to the soil
How to preserve your food from decaying ? Give me 6 examples.
- Canning -
Putting food in airtight can - Cooling -
Putting food in fridge will slow rate of decay (decomposers reproduction rate slows down) - Freezing-
Decomposers cannot reproduce at all - Drying-
Dried food will not decay, decomposers need water for cell reaction - Adding salt/ sugar-
High concentration around decomposer means will lose water by osmosis. Damages them and can’t work. (Olives and tuna stored in salt water) - Adding vinegar-
As vinegar is acidic, acid kills decomposers (pickles)
