Apart from plants and animals, microbes form a permanent biotic component in an ecosystem. While plants have been referred to as autotrophs and animals as heterotrophs, what are microbes referred to as? How do the microbes fulfil their energy requirements?
Micro-organisms are a group of heterotrophic organisms which are known as saprotrophs. They are responsible for the decomposition of the organic remains i.e., dead and decaying plants and animals in an ecosystem. The Micro-organisms obtain their energy requirements from the organic matter which is obtained by dead and decaying animals and plants.
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