The process of breaking down organic matter by micro organisms is called
Decomposition
The breakdown of organic matter by micro-organisms is decomposition — option 3.
| Process | What it is |
|---|---|
| Respiration | The release of energy from food within a living cell, in every organism |
| Photosynthesis | The making of organic matter from carbon dioxide and water using light — the opposite of breaking it down |
| Decomposition | The breakdown of dead organic matter into simple substances by bacteria and fungi |
| Fermentation | A particular kind of anaerobic breakdown, of sugars to alcohol or acid — a special case, not the general term |
Why decomposition matters. Decomposers — chiefly bacteria and fungi, assisted by detritivores such as earthworms and termites — occupy the last position in every food chain. They convert dead plants, animals and waste back into carbon dioxide, water and mineral nutrients, which then return to the soil and the air and are taken up again by plants. Without them, nutrients would remain locked in dead bodies and every biogeochemical cycle — carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus — would come to a halt.
The stages : fragmentation of the material into small pieces, leaching of soluble substances into the soil, catabolism by enzymes into simpler compounds, humification into dark amorphous humus, and finally mineralisation, which releases inorganic nutrients. Warmth and moisture speed the process; cold, waterlogging and acidity slow it, which is why organic matter accumulates as peat in bogs and why food keeps in a refrigerator.
Why option 4 is the sharpest distractor. Fermentation is carried out by micro-organisms and does break down organic matter, so it is not simply wrong — it is too narrow. It refers only to anaerobic breakdown of carbohydrate to alcohol or lactic acid. The question asks for the general term, and that is decomposition.
Hence, the answer is Decomposition.
Similar Questions
Which of the following bacterial disease that is called as spleenic fever ?
Besides spreading Malaria, Anopheles mosquito’s are also vectors of
Important Questions from Biology in Everyday life
Which of the following is used as a bio - indicator of air pollution?
Which of the following occurs when an organism absorbs the chemicals at a faster rate then the metabolic capacity of their body?
Which of the following is a primary producer in a food chain?
Aphim, Morphin, Heroin, Methodine are the examples of:
Due to which change in environment that Rekha's mother told Rekha not to sleep below the tree ?
