The Role of Microorganisms in the Ecosystem Microorganisms are ubiquitous in the environment, where they have a variety of essential functions.
Microbes also play an essential role in the natural recycling of living materials.
All naturally produced substances are biodegradable, which means that they can be broken down by living things, such as bacteria or fungi. Composting is biodegradation at its best. An examination of conditions that foster or impede composting gives insight to growth conditions of microorganisms as well as the proper function of the ecosystem. Give each student or pair of students a pot of soil from the same location. Have each student or pair bury the same item to approximately the same depth.