Question

When leaves die they fall onto the soil. Decomposers (bacteria and fungi) feed on the dead leaves and use the sugar present in the leaves.

Suggest and explain how the carbon in the sugar is returned to the atmosphere by the decomposers.

Answer 1

When decomposers such as bacteria and fungi feed on dead leaves, they use the sugar present in them for energy through respiration. During respiration, the carbon in the sugar is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, which is an essential process in the carbon cycle and necessary for the survival of all living organisms.