Decomposers break down the dead remains of other organisms and release it back into the environment.

Decomposers break down the dead remains of other organisms and release it back into the environment.

• A. Detritivores
• B. Scavengers
• C. Respiration
• D. Decomposers

Answer: (D)

Breaking down dead material to recycle nutrients is what decomposers do. They secrete enzymes that break complex organic molecules from dead organisms into simpler substances, which they absorb for growth. This chemical breakdown releases nutrients like carbon and nitrogen back into the soil or air, making them available for other living things. Detritivores, like earthworms, also interact with dead material by physically breaking it apart, but their role is not primarily about chemical decomposition and nutrient release. Scavengers remove dead bodies, rather than decomposing them. Respiration is a metabolic process for making energy, not a description of an organism's role in recycling dead matter.

Breaking down dead material to recycle nutrients is what decomposers do. They secrete enzymes that break complex organic molecules from dead organisms into simpler substances, which they absorb for growth. This chemical breakdown releases nutrients like carbon and nitrogen back into the soil or air, making them available for other living things.

Detritivores, like earthworms, also interact with dead material by physically breaking it apart, but their role is not primarily about chemical decomposition and nutrient release. Scavengers remove dead bodies, rather than decomposing them. Respiration is a metabolic process for making energy, not a description of an organism's role in recycling dead matter.