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decomposer
worms

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A decomposer is a living thing that eats wastes and feeds on dead plants and animals. Decomposers break down these wastes and turn them into nutrients. These nutrients can be used to help living things grow. It is a cycle.

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scvengenger

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It's find food or starve for most scavengers and the animal with the biggest advantage that gets the meal, whether that is a great sense of smell, speed or being able to dominate an in-demand carcass with size and aggression. People frequently see scavengers as a portent of doom or in the very least a distasteful animal that no one wants in their backyard. Many people do not notice the beauty and ecological importance of the scavenger that Casey Anderson and his wife Missi introduce in America the Wild: Yellowstone Scavengers. Casey and Missi aren't the first humans to see value in scavengers. You might be surprised at some of the ways scavengers have been employed by the human race.
Vultures at your funeral
In American Western movies when the vultures are circling, chances are you are about to die. Americans look on vulture with respect and fear. In other cultures, however, vultures are not frightening, but rather offer eternal peace after death. The Parsis, who consider cremating the dead a sin and burial contaminating the earth, depend on vultures to put their dead to rest. The bodies of loved ones are wrapped in white muslin and left at the funeral ground to be consumed by vultures. To the Parsi, the vulture is sacred and believed to release the spirit of the dead. Although the Old World vultures are quite different than the New World vultures such as black and turkey vultures, they look similar and serve the same purpose in the avian world. In India, however, they have an especially important job, ferrying the spirits of the dead to their final destination.
Maggots for your medicine
If you are not ready to head off to your final destination, but have a persistent wound threatening to be your demise, you might want to employ some maggots as your physician. Even today maggots are used in medicine. Patients with ongoing ulcers, burns and post-operative wounds, especially ones that have become gangrenous, may need a little more than modern medicine can offer. Sometimes when all other treatments have failed, fly larvae, in particular blowfly species are placed on wounds and covered by a protective dressing. In a 72 hour period, the maggots go to work, dissolving and devouring dead flesh and leaving the healthy living bits behind.
Ravens as protection
Ravens have long been a symbol of protection to England, but they got a bad rap in 1666 when a fire destroyed 13,000 homes and left behind a veritable feast for the birds. The gathering ravens in London dining on friends and family did not find many fans with their survivors and were killed in vast numbers. King Charles, believing that ravens were protectors of the kingdom ordered that domestic ravens be brought in to the Tower London, since wild ravens were no longer tolerated by his people. The ravens were managed and cared for by the Yeoman Raven Master and still are to this day. Chances are the wild ravens actually saved London from further demise. Had the birds not devoured the dead, likely the rats would have gathered, spreading a new bout of bubonic plague.
Wolves as your best friend
Did you hear the one about the wolf that became a dog? While not all scientists agree on the origin of Canis familiaris, the domestic dog, many feel that the dog at your feet evolved from the wolf. Some scientists feel that the scavengers followed nomadic peoples or hung around villages, slowly domesticating themselves. Snacking on discarded leftovers, wolves that were willing to remain nearby would be most likely to survive and breed. The trait for being confident around humans would have been selected for, giving wolves more likely to be companionable a leg up. If this is true, then a scavenger really is a man's (and a woman's) best friend!

Get to know the scavengers, check out America the Wild: Yellowstone Scavengers Monday, March 19 at 9pm et/pt!

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It's find food or starve for most scavengers and the animal with the biggest advantage that gets the meal, whether that is a great sense of smell, speed or being able to dominate an in-demand carcass with size and aggression.

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consumer/human

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Findings reveal 98 per cent of people living in Britain buy some non-food items from supermarkets

Six in ten shoppers would be happy to buy a holiday or TV from a supermarket

Supermarkets have become one-stop shops for eight million consumers, who buy everything from baked beans to barbecues, according to research.

They are being encouraged to purchase all their non-food items from supermarkets, as well as the weekly grocery shop, by convenience, cost and rewards such as loyalty points, a study found.

The findings reveal that 98 per cent of Britons buy at least some non-food items - such as clothes or electronics - from supermarkets.

And six in ten shoppers would be happy to buy big-ticket items such as a holiday or TV from a supermarket if the price was competitive.

Nearly three quarters (72 per cent) of Britons have bought clothing and accessories from a supermarket retailer, rising to 78 per cent among women.

CDs, DVDs and video games were the second most common non-food purchase, followed by household electrical appliances, toys, gardening equipment and DIY tools and mobile phone or computing devices.

The survey of 2,000 people was commissioned by finance giant Santander.

Spokesman Alan Mathewson said: 'Cost, rewards and convenience are a major incentive for shoppers at a time when households are increasingly short of money and time.

'While independent retailers continue to offer a more traditional high street experience, competitive pricing and generous rewards mean many consumers are looking to consolidate their purchasing habits under just one roof.'

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Eight million Britons never shop anywhere but a supermarket: Convenience, cost and loyalty points attract customers

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Findings reveal 98 per cent of people living in Britain buy some non-food items from supermarkets Six in ten shoppers would be happy to buy a holiday or TV from a supermarket Supermarkets have become one-stop shops for eight million consumers, who buy everything from baked beans to barbecues, according to research.

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decomposer

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decomposer

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this coyote is a scavanger it eats off the dead clears everthing out.

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lixy

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sun

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consumer

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producer

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consumer

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scavenger

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these are consumers people who consume the plants

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brake down dead an decayed stuff

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The dead plant feeders include a wide variety of soil- and wood-dwelling species that shred leaves or tunnel in woody tissues. They accelerate decay by increasing the surface area exposed to weathering and the action of other decomposers. They are largely responsible for creating a layer of humus that often covers the soil.

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lemon tree provides lemon and consumes the sun

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Consumer

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eat dead stuff☺

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sun  the sun helps the plants and trees grow

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panda / herbiovore

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Consumers are starting to differentiate between carbohydrate types as more than 50% of participants making a distinction between 'good' and 'bad' carbs in a 5000-strong study shows - with important implications for industry.

"That consumers distinguish between different types of fat is nothing new. However, that the majority of consumers also recognised that there is a difference between various carbohydrates was a surprising finding for us," said Gudron Dold, consumer insights manager at BENEO - the ingredients firm that commissioned the new research.

The survey was designed to provide insight into the role healthy nutrition plays in today's lifestyles, with a particular focus on perceptions of sugar, carbohydrate and the impact foods have on blood sugar levels.

The findings showed that consumers are aware that sugar and carbohydrates have a major role in managing health issues, such as weight management, fatigue or low energy.

Seven out of ten Europeans try to limit or cut down their sugar intake because of its negative health effects. Despite seeing the benefits of eating less sugar, consumers also recognised that carbohydrates are the major energy source for the body; 46% of participants stated that their main reason for consuming carbohydrates was that they 'give energy'.

All carbs not created equal

However, the study revealed that consumers were starting to differentiate between carbohydrates.

" In former times, the focus was only on the amount of carbohydrates, whereas now we see that increasingly, the quality of carbohydrates also matters to consumers," said Dold.

Wholegrain, fibre, complex carbohydrates and slow release carbohydrates were seen as 'good', with 60% of respondents linking slow release carbohydrates with sustained energy.

"When consumers talk about good carbohydrates they are looking for quality carbohydrates that provide nutrients and energy needed by our body to keep them nourished and satisfied. In contrast, 'bad' carbohydrates are considered empty calories that consumers want to avoid," explained Dold.

'Naturalness' is another attribute that determines whether a carbohydrate is 'good' in consumers' eyes, with many believing that carbohydrates from natural sources are better for them, according to BENEO.

Implications: Slow and natural to win the race?

A growing consumer understanding of carbohydrates has implications for the food industry, making it more important for manufacturers to consider the attributes of the carbohydrates they use. Dold predicted that going forwards, we would see a drive towards natural source slow release carbohydrates.

"The basic understanding among many consumers that slow release carbohydrates are the healthier choice is key. We expect that slow release carbohydrates from natural sources will increase in importance when developing new food and beverage products," she said.

The findings play into the hands of BENEO's slow release carbohydrate Palatinose (isomaltulose), chicory root fibres Orafti inulin and oligofructose, and sugar replacer ISOMALT. Naturally derived from beet sugar, these ingredients have a mild, sweet taste, the company says they meet consumer desire for sugar-like indulgence whilst reducing high glycaemic sugars or calories.

BENEO has received positive EFSA opinions for the blood glucose lowering properties of its inulin and oligofructose dietary fibres, as well as for Palatinose and ISOMALT.

Study design

5000 consumers across five European countries - UK, Germany, Spain, France and Poland - were invited to take part in a quantitative online survey conducted by consumer research agency Insites. The participants were aged between 18 and 70 years, and were identified as having household responsibility for grocery shopping.

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Consumers getting to know their carbs: BENEO study

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Consumers are starting to differentiate between carbohydrate types as more than 50% of participants making a distinction between 'good' and 'bad' carbs in a 5000-strong study shows - with important implications for industry. "That consumers distinguish between different types of fat is nothing new.

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abiotic

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