a decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead animals and plants along with their waste. Decomposers help recycle matter in an ecosystem and release important nutrients back into the ecosystem. Decomposers are heterotrophs which mean they use other organisms to get their energy, carbon, and other nutrients for growth and development.
Decomposers are heterotrophic because they have to take their nutrients from other sources instead of making it themselves, unlike the autotrophs. ... decomposers like the fungi and bacteria that decompose dead organic matter and release their nutrients for use by other organisms.
A substance that cannot be broken down into chemically simpler components is an element.
A substance that can be broken down into chemically simpler components (because it has more than 1 element) is a compound. Example: Water id a compound composed of elements hydrogen and oxygen.
