EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Decomposers or saprotrophs recycle dead plants and animals into chemical nutrients like carbon and nitrogen that are released back into the soil, air and water.

Detailed explanation-2: -Nitrogen is returned to the atmosphere by the activity of organisms known as decomposers. Some bacteria are decomposers and break down the complex nitrogen compounds in dead organisms and animal wastes. This returns simple nitrogen compounds to the soil where they can be used by plants to produce more nitrates.

Detailed explanation-3: -Denitrifying bacteria convert the nitrate back into nitrogen gas, which reenters the atmosphere.

Detailed explanation-4: -Decomposers play a critical role in the flow of energy through an ecosystem. They break apart dead organisms into simpler inorganic materials, making nutrients available to primary producers.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Rhizobium or Bradyrhizobium bacteria colonize the host plant’s root system and cause the roots to form nodules to house the bacteria (Figure 4). The bacteria then begin to fix the nitrogen required by the plant.