Decomposer Hunt

The animals and plants that live on Earth produce waste. Organisms called decomposers take care of this waste by recycling it. Take a walk with an adult family member around the neighborhood or in a park to find organisms at work recycling.

Materials

• paper
• pen

Procedure

Take a walk around your neighborhood or to a park with an adult family member. As you walk, look for dead organisms and parts of organisms, such as fruit and dead leaves. What do you see growing on these things? Make a chart with two columns. Write down the kinds of decomposers you see in the first column. Write down what they are on or around in the second column.

Results

What decomposers did you observe? What kinds of materials did they seem to be consuming? Talk with your family member about why decomposers are important in ecosystems.