Decomposers and Non-Biodegradable Substances: Impact on Soil Ecosystems

[Docscientist]

Homework Statement

How are decomposers affected by the presence of non biodegradable substances in the soil?
2. Homework Equations [/B]
None

The Attempt at a Solution

I think decomposers do not get a place to stay when their place(soil) is full of plastics.Maybe they can't perform their life process like respiration,nutrition etc..in the presence of such substances that cannot be broken down.[/B]

 

[Borek]

Sand is not biodegradable as well, yet its presence in the soils is not a problem.

 

[Docscientist]

Sand is not biodegradable as well, yet its presence in the soils is not a problem.

Plastics can't be broken down and they take millions of years to degrade which means decomposers find it difficult to break the bonds in plastics.This might be harmful for the environment since they settle in one place and give rise to foul smell and conjustion.
But still decomposers themselves being affected in the process of breaking them down looks little complicated.

 

[Borek]

Plastics can't be broken down and they take millions of years to degrade which means decomposers find it difficult to break the bonds

Same about sand.

they settle in one place and give rise to foul smell

Foul smell means decomposition products, so they are either smelly and decomposing, or stable and not decomposing, they can't be both at the same time.

 

[Docscientist]

Plastics can't be broken down and they take millions of years to degrade which means decomposers find it difficult to break the bonds in plastics.This might be harmful for the environment since they settle in one place and give rise to foul smell and conjustion.
But still decomposers themselves being affected in the process of breaking them down looks little complicated.

Same about sand.
Foul smell means decomposition products, so they are either smelly and decomposing, or stable and not decomposing, they can't be both at the same time.

I think plastics are composed of certain chemicals which are harmful to decomposers.

 

[Borek]

I think plastics are composed of certain chemicals which are harmful to decomposers.

In some cases definitely yes. You just can't freely mix both things - stability and decompositions products - as properties of the same thing.