Decomposers

When you think of “creatures,” you might not consider some of the world’s natural demolition crew: fungi, slime molds and soil bacteria. Although they are relatively small and most of their work is completed out of sight, the impact of their work is gigantic. Th rough recycling of organic matter, they guarantee the continuation of life in all of the Earth’s ecosystems.

Decomposers work to break down dead plant or animal tissue that they then transform into organic matter and nutrients which can be used for the growth of new organisms. Below, we’ll discuss the three examples listed above, fungi (through the example of a turkey tail mushroom), slime molds and soil bacteria.

Turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor)

Trametes versicolor is a common polypore mushroom found throughout the world. A polypore is a type of mushroom that has pores on its underside as opposed to the gills found on most mushrooms. Most commonly, these are shelf or bracket fungi that grow on living or dead trees. Because it grows together in a cluster, and its multiple colors are similar to those of a wild turkey, T. versicolor is commonly called turkey tail. It is one of the most commonly found species of mushroom in North America. Turkey tail is a white-rot fungus which degrades lignin from materials such as wood. Any type of fallen hardwood log or stump oft en harbors clusters of this fan-shaped fungi.

*Turkey tail mushroom. Photo by Kassandra Tuten.*

Slime mold

Slime mold is an informal name given to several kinds of unrelated eukaryotic organisms. Their common name refers to a stage in these organisms’ life cycles when they can appear as gelatinous “slime.” Slime molds were formerly classified as fungi but are no longer considered part of that kingdom. More than 900 species of slime mold occur globally. Th ey contribute to the decomposition of dead vegetation and feed on bacteria and fungi. They are usually found in soil, lawns and on the forest floor, commonly on deciduous logs.

Soil bacteria (Streptomyces species)

Streptomyces is a genus of fi lamentous bacteria of the family Streptomycetaceae that includes more than 500 species occurring in soil and water. Many species are important in the decomposition of organic matter in soil, contributing in part to the earthy odor of soil and decaying leaves and to the fertility of soil.

Creature Feature: Decomposers