| This level includes both herbivores and carnivores: nematodes, protozoa,
rotifers, soil flatworms, springtails, some types of mites, and feather-winged
beetles. |
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Click
on the photos to enlarge |
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Nematodes
are tiny, cylindrical, often transparent microscopic worms, and are the
most abundant of the physical decomposers. A handful of decaying compost
can contain several million nematodes. Under a magnifying lens, nematodes
resemble fine human hair. They can be classified into three categories:
1) those that live on decaying vegetation; 2) those that are predators
on other nematodes, bacteria, algae, protozoa, etc.; and 3) those that
can be serious pests in gardens where they suck the juices of plant roots,
especially root vegetables. |
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Protozoa
are the simplest form of animal organism. Even though they are single-celled
and microscopic in size, they are larger and more complex in their activities
than most bacteria. Protozoa obtain their food from organic matter in the
same way bacteria will, but because they are present in far fewer numbers
than bacteria, they play a much smaller part in the composting process. |
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Rotifers
are minute worms which usually have one or two groups of vibrating cilia
on the head. Their bodies are round and divisible into three parts: a head,
trunk, and tail. They are generally found in films of water and many forms
are aquatic. The rotifers in compost are found in water which adheres to
plant substances where they feed on microorganisms. |
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Flatwormsare,
for the most part, general scavengers that graze on a wide variety of things
including animal matter. As their name implies, flatworms are flat and
usually quite small in their free-living form. Most flatworms are carnivorous
and live in films of water within the compost structure. |
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Springtailsare
extremely numerous in compost. They are very small wingless insects and
can be distinguished by their ability to jump when disturbed. They run
in and around the particles in the compost and have a small spring-like
structure under the belly that catapults them into the air when the spring
catch is triggered. They chew on decomposing plants, pollen, grains, and
fungi. They also eat nematodes and droppings of other arthropods and then
meticulously clean themselves after feeding. |
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Feather-winged
beetles are the smallest of all beetles and possibly of all insects.
These beetles are distinguished by their feather-like wings. Some are blind
and most live under bark in forests and woodland. Not surprisingly they
go unnoticed. Most species feed on fungi. |
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