fungi
"Unlike plants, which make their own food, Fungi are like miniature versions of our stomachs, turned inside-out. Fungi 'eat' by releasing enzymes outside of their bodies that break down nutrients into smaller pieces that they can then absorb. This feeding strategy means that Fungi always live in and on their food."
As are most microorganisms.
"Fungi are like aliens on Earth. Neither plant nor animal, they come in all shapes and sizes, from familiar mushrooms, to tangled threads, to slimy films. They make bread and beer possible, but they also cause diseases in animals and plants."
"Fungi are like simple plants that lack chlorophyll, the green pigment that allows most plants to convert sunlight into carbohydrate. Instead, most fungi obtain nutrients from dead plant matter. Therefore, Fungi are important decomposers in the natural world. Fungi are most active in the later stages of the compost pile, where they finish the decomposition of materials partially decomposed by bacteria."
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