Final answer:
Organisms that obtain nutrients from dead or decaying matter are called saprotrophs. This category includes bacteria, fungi, and some protists, which play a vital role in breaking down complex materials and recycling nutrients.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term used to describe organisms that live on or obtain nutrients from dead or decaying organic matter is saprotroph. These organisms include various types of bacteria, fungi, and some protists. Saprotrophs are crucial in the ecosystem as they break down the complex organic materials found in dead and decaying matter into simpler substances that can be recycled back into the ecosystem, thereby maintaining environmental stability.
Decomposers like bacteria are prime examples of saprotrophs that feed on decaying organic matter in the soil. They use the organic substrates to get their energy, carbon, and nutrients necessary for survival. Some protists can be mixotrophs, functioning as saprotrophs under certain conditions, absorbing nutrients when organic material is available.Fungi growing on a dead tree also demonstrate saprotrophic nutrition by secreting enzymes that break down tough wood fibers, thus further illustrating the role of saprotrophs in ecosystems.The term used to describe organisms that live on or obtain nutrients from dead or decaying organic matter is decomposers. Decomposers are heterotrophs that break down and feed on the remains of dead organisms and other organic wastes, releasing nutrients back into the environment. Examples of decomposers include bacteria and fungi.