Question

What will happen if all the bacteria and fungi are destroyed?
A. There will be no disease and death.
B. No antibiotics would become available.
C. Dead bodies and excretions will pile up.
D. The soil will become depleted of all nutrients.

Answer 1

Hint: Decomposition is an important step towards maintenance of an ecosystem. Various species of bacteria and fungi are members of decomposer groups.

Complete answer: The series of plants and animals, which are interrelated in the form of – an organism being eaten as food by the other is called a food chain. A food chain consists of autotrophs (producers), heterotrophs (consumers), and saprotrophs (decomposers).
The green plants are producers and the animals which eat plants are called primary consumers. The animals that consume primary consumers are called secondary consumers. Bacteria and fungi are the decomposers; these species decompose the wastes like dead organic matter and excretions and release energy back in the environment.

So, the correct option is C. Dead bodies and excretions will pile up.

Note: There are several bacteria involved in the steps of the nitrogen cycle. In absence of any bacteria, the nitrogen cycle would completely collapse and most of the living organisms would not get the required amount of nitrogen from the environment.