What is "decomposer"

1833, "a decomposing agent," agent noun from decompose.

n. (context ecology English) Any organism that feeds off decomposing organic material, especially bacterium or fungi.

Decomposers are organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms, and in doing so, they carry out the natural process of decomposition. Like herbivores and predators, decomposers are heterotrophic, meaning that they use organic substrates to get their energy, carbon and nutrients for growth and development. While the terms decomposer and detritivore are often interchangeably used, however, detritivores must digest dead matter via internal processes while decomposers can break down cells of other organisms using biochemical reactions without need for internal digestion. Thus, invertebrates such as earthworms, woodlice, and sea cucumbers are detritivores, not decomposers, in the technical sense, since they must ingest nutrients and are unable to absorb them externally.

Decomposer is the second album by The Matches, released by Epitaph Records on September 11, 2006 worldwide and on September 12, 2006. The band took an unusual approach to the album and enlisted the help of nine producers including John Feldmann of Goldfinger, Mark Hoppus of +44 and Blink-182, Nick Hexum of 311, Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion.

Decomposer also marks a vast departure from The Matches' previous strict alternative/ punk sound and a growth into a more avant-garde and art rock sound. Additionally, many of the lyrical themes explored on Decomposer were resurrected for their next offering, 2008's A Band in Hope.