Their ability to recycle dead, decomposing matter plays an indirect role in the health of the areas it inhabits.

They live on dead or decomposing matter.

Dead issues, like all dead things, don't just vanish, but leave some decomposing matter behind.

Thought to be a saprobic species (that is, obtaining nutrients from dead or decomposing organic matter), it has also been found on rotten wood.

Scavengers, which provide a biological benefit to the filtration system by consuming decomposing matter, are small bio-loads.

Microorganisms also play a vital role, raising the temperature of the decomposing matter as they break it down into yet simpler molecules.

In this context, the paleozoological data used is obtained from recently deceased decomposing matter rather than prehistoric matter.

These nutrients are replenished from the decomposing organic matter on the surface of the forest floor.

The heat produced by the decomposing matter in the compost was such that when I dug into the pile, steam rose out of it.