These are the decomposers that take dead plant and animal matter and break it down. ... The microbes that work in the recycling role use the organic carbon in the organic matter as an energy source (food). Recycling frees up nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus that are important to plant health.

How do organisms recycle nutrients?

The nutrient cycle is a system where energy and matter are transferred between living organisms and non-living parts of the environment. This occurs as animals and plants consume nutrients found in the soil, and these nutrients are then released back into the environment via death and decomposition.

How do microorganisms recycle elements?

Microorganisms recycle nutrients in the environment, by decomposing organic materials. ... Through a process called biodegradation, microbes use nutrients and chemical substances found in the environment for their own survival.