‘Silent Agents’ at Work
THERE is something delightful about a walk through a forest. Especially because of increased urbanization of land areas, many people find it most refreshing to stroll down a woodland path in the warm sunshine. Though noticing the wild flowers, bushes, trees, birds and squirrels, persons are often unaware that ‘silent agents’ are at work in layers of dead leaves and in the remains of occasional animal carcasses.
These agents are the decomposers—bacteria and fungi. They perform a function just as vital as photosynthesis in green plants. Countless billions of bacteria and fungi thrive on the forest floor and on trees and stumps. Were you to lift up some leaf debris, what might you find? Often there is a maze of tiny white threads, the body filaments of a fungus. These filaments work their way through the dead leaves, secreting enzymes that digest and decompose dead matter. Thus they break down the waste and release useful materials that can be assimilated by new plants.
Serving the Cycle of Producers and Consumers
The decomposers really fill a vital role in a cycle that includes the producers and consumers. The producers are the green plants that make complex substances from abiotic or nonliving materials—air, water and minerals. The green plants take the abiotic substances, transforming these into biotic or living plant structures, including roots, stems and leaves. Humans and animals—the consumers—may eat some of these plants. Certain consumers may be eaten by other consumers. For their sustenance, consumers depend on plant and animal life; they cannot use abiotic materials directly.
Here is where the work of the ‘silent agents,’ the decomposers, fits into the cycle. They have the job of breaking up the complex substances into simple ones, to transform wastes into useful matter. What would happen if all the leaves that ever fell remained on the forest floor? Or, what would result if all the dead animals that ever lived were still lying where they expired? Too much material would be locked up in these wastes. Life simply could not continue under such circumstances. The decomposers, however, are continually breaking down dead plant and animal matters, making their components available for green plants. In this way life-sustaining materials come from dead wastes.
The next time you walk along a forest trail, why not bend over and rake away some leaves to see whether decomposers are silently at work? Also, examine a decaying log for fungal growth or a colorful slime mold.
It is of note that God’s law to Israel made provision for the silent agents to do their work thoroughly. Every seventh year the land was to be left uncultivated. (Ex. 23:10, 11) During that year the soil could replenish and restore itself. Why was an entire year beneficial? Well, since bacterial and fungal activities are influenced by temperature, the winter cold retards the work of decomposers. Often in the spring the remains of plants can still be found. Eventually, therefore, the soil could become depleted. To prevent this, God’s law provided ample time for the decomposers to break down plant and animal remains, thereby returning abiotic substances to the soil.
How can we cooperate with the decomposers? We can take advantage of wastes, such as compost, for garden plots. Where compost is used, the soil may be dark and rich, while a neighboring plot may be unproductive red clay. The nonbiodegradable materials, such as styrofoam and certain plastic, cannot be acted on by the decomposers, and are therefore of no value in a compost bed.
As we learn more about the natural cycles, we should give thanks to Jehovah God, the Grand Creator, who in his infinite wisdom did not overlook providing this good earth with essential decomposers that are silently at work for the blessing of all mankind.