Question

Which statements accurately describe the roles of decomposers in the carbon cycle? Select three options.

Decomposers release carbon dioxide into the air as waste.
Decomposers remove carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis.
Decomposers break down the remains of dead plants and animals.
Decomposers return carbon compounds to the soil.
Decomposers use carbon to make food molecules.

Answer 1

Correct answers:
- Decomposers release carbon dioxide into the air as waste.
- Decomposers break down the remains of dead plants and animals.
- Decomposers return carbon compounds to the soil.

Brief explanation:
- Decomposers (bacteria, fungi) break down dead organic matter, returning carbon-rich compounds and nutrients to the soil and releasing CO2 by cellular respiration.
- They do not perform photosynthesis, so they do not remove CO2 from the air that way.
- While decomposers incorporate some carbon into their own biomass, “making food molecules” is mainly a function of producers (photosynthetic organisms).