The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) reports decomposers are microorganisms that live in soil and feed upon dead and discarded organic material. By feeding upon dead material, microorganisms produce nutrient-rich soil that aids plants in their next growing season.
The MIT Mission Environment explains the decomposers found in the tundra are similar to those found in more temperate regions. Organisms such as bacteria, fungi and insects found in the tundra have adapted to survive in the low temperatures and waterlogged landscape of the tundra.
Temperature plays an important role in the decomposition of organic matter, according to MIT. Tundra regions, such as the arctic and mountainous regions of the world, have extreme low temperatures, so the rate of decomposition by decomposer species is lower than in warmer regions of the world.
