Virginia 7th Grade Science SOL Practice Test

Decomposers are the microorganisms and fungi that break down dead organisms and waste. As they digest these materials, nitrogen that was locked in proteins and DNA is released into the soil mainly as ammonia, which becomes ammonium. This process, called ammonification, returns nitrogen to the soil so other organisms, like plants, can reuse it. While other creatures such as earthworms help by physically breaking down litter, the specific role of decomposers is to chemically decompose organic matter and recycle nitrogen back into usable forms. Examples include bacteria and fungi.