(Note: the following example advocating "Decomposers are good" is an easy one because the position being advocated is justifiable for many reasons; also, note that the references are not in a format containing proper detail. In your Stage I, I suggest in your outline you include ideas about how you are going to "sell" your advocacy; additionally any factual points about your topic could be included in the introduction)

Down and dirty in the global terrestrial biosphere: Decomposers chew it up

Important but "hidden" trophic level

Wide variety of organisms at this level

Important to energy and mass transfers

Bacteria

Fungus

Actinomycetes

Nematodes

Protozoa

Rotifers

Earthworms

Termites; slugs

Key role of decomposers to Earth's biosphere, now and throughout Earth history

Essential to release of nutrients that become available to other organisms

Future global changes might promote changes in temperature, pH, type of plants, etc, that can then influence the abundance and assemblages of specific decomposers

1. Burges, A. and Raw, F. 1990. Soil Biology. New York, Academic Press, 345 pp.

2. Marshall, J.L. and Ettl, J.D. 1998. Grassland bacterial associations under ambient and elevated CO2 levels. Global Change Biology v. 6, p. 312-320.

3. Wallwork, J.A. 1994. Ecology of Soil Decomposers. London, McGraw-Hill, 267 pp.

Web resources:

www.bugeyesclub.org/decomposers/

www.harvard.edu/biology/microflora/