What is the role of destroyers in the ecological communities of our planet?

There are creatures in nature whose main function is to destroy organic substances. What is the role of destroyers in ecological communities? They are designed to decompose the remains of animals and plants (organic tissues) to inorganic minerals, gases. Thus, these useful creatures, according to the ingenious idea of nature, provide the necessary other participants in the process and close the cycle of substances.

Who are they?

Who are these creatures created by nature for functional and compulsory destruction, what is the role of destroyers in ecological communities? To them in each of the ecological systems are:

• Numerous types of bacteria;
• Mushrooms;
• Soil worms;
• Bugs-grinders and gravediggers;
• Some species of carrion-eating animals.

All these representatives of different kingdoms eat the remains of plants and animals. As a result of such activities, the organics turns into minerals and gases that are necessary for other participants in ecological communities.

Functional differences

The ecosystem includes many plants and animals. And their functions differ from each other. Conventionally, there are three large groups:

• Producers;
• Consumers;
• Destroyers.

The first - green plants. They create (produce) organic matter from carbon dioxide with the help of solar energy. The side result of this phenomenon, called photosynthesis, is the formation of a large amount of oxygen necessary for breathing animals and humans.

Consumers (animals) feed on plants and other species of animals, forming food chains.

What is the role of destroyers in ecological communities? They decompose and transform the dead organic matter. Closure of the cycle of substances in nature.

Participants in the cycle of substances

Destroyers in nature - the alpha and omega of any ecological system. Destroyers all begin and all ends. Plants receive from the soil and air minerals and carbon dioxide for their growth and reproduction, provided by the decomposers. Herbivores feed on representatives of the flora, thus forming the initial links of food chains and the foundations of the pyramids. Predators provide food by consuming animal flesh. Someone is at the very top of the food pyramid, someone is at its very core. But all are not eternal and someday, later or earlier, they die. And here again, destroyers come into action, which convert organic materials into inorganic ones, thus completing the cycle of substances in nature.

Microorganisms

The so-called bacteria of decay and decomposition are a great natural army, the main task of which is to utilize organic substances, release gas and minerals, which then serve as a food for plants. There are a lot of species of such bacteria. Among them: bacilli, spore-forming clostridia, not spore-forming enterobacteria. The best-known example is the hay bacon, well studied by science.

Mushrooms-saprophytes

These kinds of mushrooms use as a ration the remains of plant and animal organics: feathers and horns, fallen leaves, humus, branches, manure and others. To man these creatures sometimes do harm: microscopic mushrooms-saprophytes (destroyers) settle on foodstuffs and make them unfit for eating.

What is the role of destroyers in ecological communities: examples

On the trees, old and prone to diseases, as a rule, settlers are beginning to settle: mushrooms and mold, worms, bug-grinders. When a tree falls and dies, the role of bacteria and fungi is to release nitrogen and minerals, thereby giving new young plants a nutritional base.

When any animal dies in the forest, its flesh begins to transform into an inorganic the same rotting bacteria. And already for one thing they need to say a big thank you. After all, if it were not for their activities, the planet would simply be littered with corpses of animals and plants that died during its existence.