Final answer:
Detritivores and decomposers like earthworms, dung beetles, bacteria, and fungi play a crucial role in breaking down dead organic matter and releasing nutrients back into ecosystems. Environmental challenges affecting these organisms include habitat destruction, pollution, and invasive species. These challenges disrupt nutrient cycling and can degrade soil quality and ecosystem health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Detritivores and decomposers are critical parts of an ecosystem, playing essential roles in nutrient cycling. These organisms break down dead organic matter, including plant leaves, animal remains, and feces. Detritivores, such as earthworms and dung beetles, ingest and digest detritus, while decomposers, like bacteria and fungi, break down matter at the molecular level, releasing nutrients back into the environment.
Current environmental issues affecting detritivores and decomposers include habitat destruction, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species. Such disturbances can disrupt the delicate balance of nutrient cycling. For instance, the overuse of pesticides not only kills pests but can also harm or reduce populations of detritivores and decomposers, which in turn affects soil quality and the overall health of the ecosystem.
Soil quality is greatly improved by the actions of earthworms as they aerate the soil and enhance nutrient availability, supporting more biomass in an ecosystem. Gastropods, which function as decomposers, contribute to breaking down organic matter on the forest floor, thus playing a pivotal role in nutrient cycling. Without these decomposers and detritivores, ecosystems would choke on undecomposed organic material, leading to a collapse in the balance needed for life to persist.