Food chains

• What are decomposers?

  Organisms that break down dead material
• What types of organisms are classified as decomposers?

  Certain types of bacteria and fungi
• What conditions do decomposers need to break down waste?

  Oxygen, moisture, suitable temperature, suitable pH
• How do decomposers break down dead waste?

  By secreting enzymes that digest the waste
• What do gardeners try to provide in compost heaps?

  Optimum conditions for decay
• What is compost used for?

  As a natural fertiliser for growing plants
• What gas is produced when waste is broken down anaerobically?

  Methane gas
• What can biogas generators produce from waste?

  Biogas for use as fuel
• Why is recycling materials important in the living world?

  So they can be used again in future organisms
• How do decomposers contribute to the carbon cycle?

  By returning carbon as carbon dioxide through respiration
• What does the water cycle describe?

  How fresh water circulates between organisms, rivers, and the sea
• What does the carbon cycle describe?

  How carbon is recycled in nature
• How do the carbon and water cycles relate to decomposition?

  Decomposition recycles carbon and water in ecosystems