Which term means an organism breaking down dead matter to recycle nutrients in ecosystems?

• A. Habitat
• B. Decomposer
• C. Community
• D. Organism

Answer: (B)

Recycling nutrients in ecosystems happens through decomposition. An organism that does this by breaking down dead matter and waste into simpler substances is a decomposer. Fungi and bacteria are common examples; they chemically break down organic material and release nutrients back into the soil or environment, making them available for plants and other organisms to use. Habitat refers to the place where an organism lives, a community is all the populations in an area, and an organism is a single living being—these terms don’t describe the process of breaking down dead matter to recycle nutrients.