Which term describes an organism that breaks down dead organisms and releases nutrients into the environment?

• A. Decomposer
• B. Producer
• C. Consumer
• D. Rainforest

Answer: (A)

Decomposers break down dead plants and animals and waste, releasing nutrients back into the environment so other organisms can reuse them. They obtain energy by chemically breaking down organic matter, not by making their own food. This recycling of nutrients is a key part of the nutrient cycle: producers take up nutrients from the soil or water, decomposers release those nutrients again, and producers can use them to grow once more. Common decomposers include fungi and bacteria, which carry out this breakdown process. In contrast, producers are organisms that make their own food, consumers eat other organisms, and a rainforest is an ecosystem, not an organism.