Decay Processes Flashcards
What do all organisms do?
Take up nutrients and eventually release them (remove materials from the environment and return them when they die)
What would happen if organisms did not release nutrients too?
The nutrients would run out
What do detritus feeders do?
Start the process of decay by eating dead animals or plants and producing waste materials
What do decay organisms do?
Break down (digest) the waste of dead plants or animals
What is an example of a detritus feeder?
A worm
What are decay organisms?
Microorganisms e.g. bacteria and fungi
Decay is faster if…?
It is warm and wet and rich in oxygen (aerobic conditions)
What do decay processes release?
Substances that plants need to grow
What happens to all the material from the waste and dead organisms?
It is recycled
What does recycling do?
Returns nutrients to the soil
How can humans recycle waste?
In sewage treatment plants and compost heaps
