Question

How is matter recycled in the biosphere?

Answer 1

Hint: In an ecosystem, the decomposers are referred to as organisms that break down the dead plants and animals in the need to recycle the nutrients in them. The ecosystem needs recycling to function, they cannot function without the help of decomposers.

Complete answer:
There are many substances that are very much essential in the food chain and these are available in dead plants and animals but are in less amount in nature. For instance, the matter carbons in carbohydrates, nitrogen in proteins, calcium in minerals, etc., these all will be lost if they are not extracted and will become rare.
 The decomposers play a role in the extraction process by breaking down these substances. thereby they help in recycling the matter. The building blocks of animal fats, proteins and carbohydrates are produced by breaking down the sugar and carbohydrates. The consumer level plants depend on the decomposers due to the reason that they break down the organic material from the dead bodies and those are taken by the soil.

The consumers obtain energy from food, excretion is done out and the waste is gone for the food chain. Hence, a nutrient cycle can be observed as ingestion, excretion and recycling. Only decomposition does not help in functioning, a form must be collected so that the nutrients can be absorbed by other organisms as well and can be recycled . For example, bacteria transform and recycle the nitrogen in a suitable form to be used by the organisms. The nitrogen from the atmosphere is transformed into nitrates, nitrites and ammonia by bacteria and can be useful for plants.
Decomposers help to protect and maintain the ecosystem by processing the dead material and giving the soil required nutrients.

Note: Remember the fact that decomposers are heterotrophic, which means that they use organic materials to get energy and nutrients. Decomposers are sometimes also termed as detritivores but there is a difference between them.