Waste materials from plants and animals:
Many trees shed their leaves each year.
Most animals produce droppings at least once a day
All plants + animals eventually die
Microorganisms decompose this waste material, so substances released during the process can be used again by plants for healthy growth. It is then recycled. In stable communities, the processes that remove materials are balanced by processes that return materials.
Decay - the breakdown/digestion of materials by microorganisms
Decay is an essential life process that digests food or waste matter and recycles materials. Materials from living things decay because they are digested (broken down) by microorganisms. These microorganisms cause decay by releasing enzymes that break down compounds to be absorbed by their cells.
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