122 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Most of these micro-arthropods are predominantly fungal-feeders. They can do as under:
(1) They can decompose substrata.
(2) They can decrease substrata’s mass by leaching soluble intercellular components.
(3) They can do so by oxidation.
(4) They can physically cut in into smaller fragments.
Increased mineralization of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium has been reported to
be mediated by microarhropods in several studies.
In the same way, the interactions of micro-arthropods with soil fungi are also quite
important in nutrient cycling. Studies of this aspect are made in mycorrhizal fungi and
themicro-arthropods which feed upon these fungi:
(1) It is found that Mycorrhizal pump massive amounts of nutrients form detritus and
represent a sizable nutrient reservoir themselves.
(2) The orbited mites and other micro-arthropods feed on myocardial fungi they act like
herbivorous pests, and can alter nutrient relations/cycling in terrestrial ecosystems.
Table 3.1 : Chief Decomposer Organisms
Division/Class Orders Common Names
Eubacteria Myxobacterales Fruiting bacteria
Cytophagales Gliding bacteria
Spirochaetales Spirochaetes
Actinomycetales Actinomycetes
Cyanobacteria Blue green algae
Myxomycota Slime moulds
Mastigomycotina Chytrids, zoosporic fungi, water moulds
Zygomycotina Mucorales Pin moulds
Eutomophjthorales Entomogenous fungi
Zoopagales Nematode-trapping fungi
Ascomycotina (Several) Yeasts, cup fungi, flask fungi
Basidiomycotina (Several) Ruts, smuts, mushrooms,
Toadstools, bracket fungi, Puffballs etc.
Deuteromycotina Imperfect fungi, puffballs, Pycnidial fungi, etc.
Protozoa Ciliates, amoebas, Flagellates, etc.
Rotifera Rotifers
Nematoda Tricladida Flatworms
Metanemertini Ribbonworms
Annelida Earthworms, leeches
Mollusca Pulmonata Slugs, snails Copepods, amphipods,
Isopods, decapods
Arthropods, Diplopoda Millipedes
Arthropods, Chilopods Centipedes
Arthropods, Insects (Several) Termites, beetles, flies, Moths, ants,
grasshoppers, Cockroaches etc.
Arthropods, Arachnida (Several) Scorpions, sun spiders, Mites, spiders