Organisms that metabolize compounds in dead organic material and return the products to the environment as inorganic substances
A) remove those substances from elemental cycling.
B) are exclusively fungi.
C) include many prokaryotes.
D) are exclusively photoautotrophs.
E) are called methanogens.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Organisms that metabolize compounds in dead organic material and return the products to the environment as inorganic substances are known as decomposers. They include many prokaryotes such as bacteria and archaea, as well as fungi. They play a crucial role in elemental cycling by breaking down complex organic molecules into simple inorganic compounds that can be reused by other organisms. Methanogens, on the other hand, are a specific group of prokaryotes that produce methane as a metabolic byproduct and are not necessarily involved in the decomposition process.

Organisms That Metabolize Compounds in Dead Organic Material and Return