what are decomposers?

[joonkimdds]

According to Schaum's outline of Biology, the definition of decomposers(p.352) says
"bacteria, fungi, plants, or animals that feed on dead organisms and release the bound organic material of the organisms to the food chain".

Princeton Review AP biology (p.215 #7) has a problem that says
"which of the following organisms serve as decomposers in the ecosystem?
A)bacteria and viruses
b) fungi and bacteria
C) viruses and protists
D) fingi and viruses
E) bacteria and plants"

the answer for the above problem is (B).
the explanation says Fingi and bacteria both serve as decomposers. They break down organic matter. Viruses invade other organisms, but the're not decomposers. Protists are unicellular organisms, such as paramecium and euglena. They're not decomposers either.

well...but the explanation doesn't tell me why plants cannot be the decomposers. E) can be the answer too according to the definition of Decomposer from Schaum.

Kaplan blue book(p.158) and Princeton Review AP BIO (p.208) say that decomposers are bacteria and fungi so I won't make a big deal of saying that B) can't be the answer, but then does that mean the definition stated by Schaum's outline is wrong??


if you could answer this problem, could u also go to the link below and answer my other question too? it's about secondary consumer and nobody answered it 🙁
I would appreciate it if you could help me, thanks.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=306460
is the link.

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[jkh1886]

According to Schaum's outline of Biology, the definition of decomposers(p.352) says
"bacteria, fungi, plants, or animals that feed on dead organisms and release the bound organic material of the organisms to the food chain".

Princeton Review AP biology (p.215 #7) has a problem that says
"which of the following organisms serve as decomposers in the ecosystem?
A)bacteria and viruses
b) fungi and bacteria
C) viruses and protists
D) fingi and viruses
E) bacteria and plants"

the answer for the above problem is (B).
the explanation says Fingi and bacteria both serve as decomposers. They break down organic matter. Viruses invade other organisms, but the're not decomposers. Protists are unicellular organisms, such as paramecium and euglena. They're not decomposers either.

well...but the explanation doesn't tell me why plants cannot be the decomposers. E) can be the answer too according to the definition of Decomposer from Schaum.

Kaplan blue book(p.158) and Princeton Review AP BIO (p.208) say that decomposers are bacteria and fungi so I won't make a big deal of saying that B) can't be the answer, but then does that mean the definition stated by Schaum's outline is wrong??


if you could answer this problem, could u also go to the link below and answer my other question too? it's about secondary consumer and nobody answered it 🙁
I would appreciate it if you could help me, thanks.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=306460
is the link.

I seriously think you're overthinking this. forget the definitions. just look at the word "decomposer." the word itself has the SENSE that decomposers are organisms that feed off other things, as to make it rot and decay. kinda like it's recycling living matter. choice B is the only one that makes ANY kinda sense.

Forget definitions. go with instinct.

 

[Fariba]

I can see where you might have been confused.

Remember that most plants fall under the category of autotrophs. They are not decomposers, BUT some of them have bacteria on them that do the decomposing. So the correct answer IS in fact bacteria and fungi.

Does that help? 😳

 

[joonkimdds]

I can see where you might have been confused.

Remember that most plants fall under the category of autotrophs. They are not decomposers, BUT some of them have bacteria on them that do the decomposing. So the correct answer IS in fact bacteria and fungi.

Does that help? 😳

thanks.