What do we call the process through which bacterial and fungal enzymes degrade detritus into simpler inorganic substances?

The decomposition of detritus (dead organic matter) into simpler inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide, water, and minerals is carried out by bacterial and fungal enzymes.

This biochemical breakdown process is known as catabolism — it involves enzyme-driven degradation of complex organic molecules into simpler, smaller compounds.

(a) Leaching: The process by which soluble nutrients are washed away from the topsoil into deeper soil layers or water bodies by percolating rainwater.

(c) Humification: Formation of humus, a dark, amorphous, and stable organic substance formed after partial decomposition of organic matter.

(d) Fragmentation: The physical breakdown of detritus into smaller particles by detritivores like earthworms, termites, and beetles — it occurs before enzymatic degradation.

The decomposition process includes several steps:

·       Fragmentation → physical breakdown of detritus.

·       Leaching → soluble materials removed by water.

·       Catabolism → microbial enzymatic degradation.

·       Humification → formation of humus.

·       Mineralization → conversion of organic matter into inorganic nutrients.

Thus, catabolism specifically refers to the enzymatic breakdown by microbes, making it the correct answer.