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Bacteria and fungi attack the dead plant or animal and start breaking it down as their food.

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What are Plants and fungi that thrive on dead tissues of plants and animals?

Saprophytes are plants and fungi that thrive on dead tissues of plants and animals. They play a vital role in decomposition by breaking down organic matter into nutrients that can be recycled in the ecosystem. Examples include mushrooms, mold, and some types of bacteria.


What do dead animals and plants eat?

Dead animals and plants are broken down by decomposers such as bacteria, fungi, and insects. These organisms feed on the decaying matter, breaking it down into simpler substances that can be recycled back into the ecosystem.


What would happen if decay didn't happen?

Dead bodies, plants, etc. would build up in piles.Plants would run out of the organic nutrients that they need and can't make with photosynthesis and then die.When enough plants died the animals that ate them would starve. They would then die.When enough prey animals died the predator animals that ate them would starve. They would then die.Everything living would then die.But this is impossible as the decomposers (e.g. bacteria, fungi) that cause decay of dead things are only eating their "food" too. The more dead things lying around the more "food" they have and they would flourish.


Who eats the dead remains of plants and aimals are?

Many decomposers such as bacteria, fungi, and insects feed on the dead remains of plants and animals. They break down the organic matter, returning essential nutrients back to the soil in a process called decomposition.


Why is the decay important in an ecosystem?

Decay is helpful mainly because it prevents the ecosystem from getting cluttered up with dead matter, and because decaying matter provides an environment for the development of living organisms.