Question

If fallen foliage in forest, dead trees, and carcasses in and around villages had not been decomposed for years.

Answer 1

Decomposition returns the elements and molecules trapped in organisms' bodies to nature. These components are again used in the formation of plant and animal bodies. If they are not returned to nature, the cyclic flow of elements will stop. Through decomposition, forest litter, dead trees and animal carcasses are recycled back into nature. If decomposition stops for many years, the Earth will be covered with heaps of dead organic matter, and the environment's natural balance will be disrupted.