Match List-I with List-II

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A)-(II), (B)-(I), (C)-(IV), (D)-(III)

The correct answer is Option (2) → (A)-(II), (B)-(I), (C)-(IV), (D)-(III)

A. Decomposers break down complex organic matter into inorganic substances like carbon dioxide, water and nutrients and the process is called decomposition. Decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, are responsible for the process of decomposition. They play a crucial role in the breakdown of organic matter derived from dead plants, animals, and other organic waste.Decomposition is largely an oxygen-requiring process. The rate of decomposition is controlled by chemical composition of detritus and climatic factors.

B. Humification leads to accumulation of a dark coloured amorphous substance called humus that is highly resistant to microbial action and undergoes decomposition at an extremely slow rate. Being colloidal in nature it serves as a reservoir of nutrients. 

C. Stratification refers to the vertical distribution of different species occupying different levels or layers within an ecosystem. It is commonly observed in ecosystems such as forests, where vegetation forms distinct layers based on their vertical position. Each layer or stratum represents a specific group of organisms adapted to that particular level and its associated environmental conditions.

D.Detritivores (e.g., earthworm) break down detritus into smaller particles. This process is called fragmentation.