Which term describes an organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms?

• A. Protista Kingdom
• B. Bacteriophage
• C. Decomposer
• D. Mycelium

Answer: (C)

Decomposers are the organisms that break down wastes and dead matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. They do this by secreting enzymes that digest complex organic molecules—like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—into simpler compounds that they can absorb. This breakdown releases nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen back into soil and water, making them available for producers like plants to reuse. Fungi and bacteria are common decomposers, and you might hear about the mycelium as the fungal network that helps fungi access and break down complex materials. However, the label for the organism that performs this recycling is decomposer. The other options don’t fit: Protista Kingdom is a broad taxonomic group, not the role of an organism; a bacteriophage is a virus that infects bacteria; and mycelium is the filamentous network of fungi, not the general term for the organism that decomposes.