1.   As any gardener knows, soil has structure, due largely to the presence of decaying organic matter, or humus.

2.   Acellular slime molds, which grow on bacteria, fungi and decaying organic matter, exist most commonly as plasmodia, large amoebalike cells with many nuclei.

3.   Instead they make their living from decaying matter, like fallen leaves.

4.   When sediments settle out of water and begin to compact, elements and compounds from decaying organic matter in the water form minerals on the sediments.

5.   Most of the seagrass, however, becomes part of the food chain as detritus, or decaying matter.

6.   Seilacher said he believes the worm-like creatures lived in the sand and fed on a mat of decaying organic matter that coated the sea floor.