Question

What role do saprophytes play in ecological balance?

Answer 1

Saprophytes help in the decomposition of dead and decaying organisms. In the soil, saprophytes recycle the organic material by breaking down complex compounds into simpler ones. This can be taken up by the other organisms.

Complete answer:
The saprophytes are the organisms that depend on the dead and decaying matter of the micro-organisms for their nutrition. The main important function of saprophytes on ecological balance is the decomposition of dead plants and animals. The plants and animals also benefit from the nutrients produced during the decomposition.

Saprophytes play an important part in balancing the entire ecosystem. They are also useful in breaking down dead and decomposed matter into simpler, recyclable particles.

The saprophytes generally feed on all dead and decaying matter for their nutrition. The left-behind food remains are a rich source of food nutrition for all plants and animals.

Some of the characteristics of the saprophytes are given as follows:
- Saprophytes are mostly unicellular organisms.
- Saprophytes do not have roots, stem, or leaves.
- Saprophytes are heterotrophic.
- They do not perform photosynthesis. they depend on other organisms for their food.
- They follow extracellular digestion, they cut down complex substances into nutrients that are again consumed by the plants and animals for their nutrition.
- However, they are living organisms they feed on the dead and decaying matter of plants and animals.
- They produce spores and filaments.
- They are both sexually and asexually reproduced for the production of spores.
- They play an important role in ecological balance and soil biology as they decompose the dead and decaying matter of plants and animals.

Note: Certain bacteria and fungi are common examples of saprophytes. Some typical examples include mushrooms and molds, Indian pipe, Corallorhiza orchids, and Mycorrhizal fungi. Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Yeast, Mucus are the other examples of saprophytes.