Now consider a scenario in which a watershed is treated with a chemical that kills only decomposers. decomposers are eliminated from the treated watershed for three years. how will eliminating decomposers affect nutrient uptake by plants and net dissolved nutrients in the stream draining the watershed?

Decomposers, like bacteria and fungi, break down or rot down dead plant and animal materials. By breaking them down they make nutrients in these materials available to the next generation of plants. If decomposers are eliminated, nutrients will not be recycled fast enough. This will lead to a net decrease in dissolved nutrients in the stream and nutrients in the soil.