The northeastern United States has been receiving dramatically elevated nitrogen deposition for many decades. This chronic fertilization could result in increase forest growth and carbon sequestration ...

Slugs. They’re slimy. They’re sticky. And they make some people squirm. The largest type of slug in the United States, named for its yellow body, is the banana slug. Some banana slugs also have brown ...

Patrice looks at the important role decomposers and scavengers play in the natural world. Patrice looks at the important role decomposers and scavengers play in the natural world. She then visits with ...

With all our monsoon rain, it feels more like a rain forest than a desert around here. Even mushrooms have burst from the wet soil. They remind me to appreciate the overlooked but important workers of ...

Soil fungi are the primary decomposers in temperate forests. Scientists found that fungi species reared in nitrogen polluted soils were able to decompose far less plant material than the same species ...

There are lots of factors in how quickly organic material decomposes into compost, including creatures called decomposers. Find out what kind of things are part of nature’s clean-up crew. Science Trek ...

In ecology, decomposers are heterotrophic organisms—primarily bacteria and fungi—that chemically break down dead organic matter, waste products, and detritus into simpler inorganic compounds. They ...

Decomposition is essential to all ecosystems, both on land and in the ocean. In marine environments, decomposition and nutrient recycling keep food webs functioning, prevent the buildup of organic ...

Slugs. They’re slimy. They’re sticky. And they make some people squirm. The largest type of slug in the United States, named for its yellow body, is the banana slug. Some banana slugs also have brown ...