Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover the living world, from microbes to ecosystems. Decomposer fungi are central to breaking down dead material across ...

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 ...

Soil fungi are fundamental to plant productivity, yet their influence on the temporal stability of global terrestrial ecosystems, and their capacity to buffer plant productivity against extreme ...

Fungi are key constituents of the soil microbial community, playing a major role in moving carbon and energy through the soil ...

Workers of the soldierless termite Ruptitermes atyra litter-feeding in Panama. This species belongs to the subfamily Apicotermitinae, a lineage that has undergone extensive diversification within ...

No matter where the body is buried, the microbial network behind the cadaver’s decomposition remains essentially the same. Researchers from Colorado State University (CSU) and the University of ...

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 ...

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. Major ...