Final answer:
Fungi are critical to ecosystems as decomposers, breaking down dead organic material and recycling nutrients back into the soil for use by other organisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fungi's Role as Decomposers
Many fungi play a critical environmental role as decomposers, breaking down organic material into nutrients for the soil and other organisms.
This process involves fungi deriving their nutrients from dead or decomposing plant material, through the use of exoenzymes that can break down tough components like cellulose and lignin into more manageable molecules like glucose.
These decomposers help maintain ecosystem health by returning locked nutrients in dead matter back into the cycle of life, making them available for other organisms to use.