Saprophytic Nutrition-Summary notes:Teacher Chisanga

1. Grades 10-12 O-Level Biology
SAPROPHYTIC NUTRITION

2. INTRODUCTION
Saprophytic Nutrition
This is a type of nutrition where organisms obtain their food by
feeding on dead and decayed animals, plants and other
organic matter. For instance, fungi, bacteria, bread moulds,
etc. obtain their nutrition through this mode. They release
digestive enzymes on the organic matter, which gets
converted into glucose and provides them energy.

3. SAPROPHYTIC NUTRITION
In this type, the saprophytic organisms like fungi release
digestive enzymes in their surrounding medium to
convert the complex organic molecules such as sugars
in simple forms such as glucose. This simple food is
then absorbed through the body surface, and utilized for
various activities by fungus.

4. SAPROPHYTES
These are organisms which obtain their food from dead and
decaying organic matter of dead plants, dead animals and
other organic matter.
Saprotrophs feed by a process known as absorptive nutrition,
in which the nutritional substrate (e.g., dead organism or other
nonliving organic matter) is directly digested by a variety of
enzymes that are excreted by the saprotroph. The enzymes
convert the detris into simpler molecules, which are then
absorbed by the cells to feed the organism.

5. Most dead organic matter is eventually broken down and
used by bacteria and fungi. Slime molds are also
saprophytes, as well as consuming bacteria. Examples of
saprophytes are cheese mold, and yeast. The term
"saprophyte" refers specifically to fungal and bacterial
saprotrophs; animal saprotrophs are known as
saprozoites.Other terms, such as 'saprotroph' or
'saprobe' may be used instead of saprophyte.

6. TYPES OF SAPROPHYTES
There are three major groups of Saprophytes:These are:
Bacteria Fungi Molds

7. IMPORTANCE OF SAPROPHTYTES
These organisms feed on dead organisms and products
of living organisms. They secrete enzymes on these
materials that cause decomposition, and then they
absorb decomposed and digested foods. They absorb
only what they need to survive, the remainder of the
nutrients are reabsorbed into the ecosystem.

8. They are essential as they unlock these nutrients,
readying them for reabsorbtion. Examples include many
species of bacteria and fungi. These are essential
organisms to an ecosystem, since they cause recycling
of materials between biotic and abiotic parts of the
ecosystem.

9. They obtain their nutrients from dead or decomposing
organic matter: mainly plant material. Fungal
exoenzymes are able to break down insoluble
polysaccharides, such as the cellulose and lignin of dead
wood, into readily absorbable glucose molecules.

10. The carbon, nitrogen, and other elements are thus
released into the environment. Because of their varied
metabolic pathways, fungi fulfill an important ecological
role and are being investigated as potential tools in
bioremediation. For example, some species of fungi can
be used to break down diesel oil and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs). Other species take up heavy
metals, such as cadmium and lead.

11. Some fungi are parasitic, infecting either plants or
animals. Smut and Dutch elm disease affect plants,
whereas athlete’s foot and candidiasis (thrush) are
medically important fungal infections in humans.