1 (h.a.) Producers, Consumers and Decomposers
An organism’s energy role is determined by how it obtains energy and how it interacts with other organisms. Each of the organisms in an ecosystem fills the energy role of producer, consumer, or decomposer.
Energy enters most ecosystems as sunlight. Some organisms, such as plants, algae, and some bacteria, capture the energy of sunlight and store it as food energy. These organisms use the sun’s energy to turn water and carbon dioxide into food molecules in a process called photosynthesis. An organism that can make its own food is a producer. Producers are the source of all the food in an ecosystem.
Some members of an ecosystem cannot make their own food. An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms is a consumer.
Consumers are classified by what they eat. Consumers that eat only plants are herbivores. Familiar herbivores are caterpillars and deer. Consumers that eat only animals are carnivores. Lions and spiders are some examples of carnivores.
If an ecosystem had only producers and consumers, the raw materials of life would stay locked up in wastes and the bodies of dead organisms. Luckily, there are organisms in ecosystems that prevent this problem. Decomposers break down wastes and dead organisms and return the raw materials to the ecosystem.
You can think of decomposers as nature’s recyclers. While obtaining energy for their own needs, decomposers return simple molecules to the environment. These molecules can be used again by other organisms. Mushrooms and bacteria are common decomposers.
Energy enters most ecosystems as sunlight. Some organisms, such as plants, algae, and some bacteria, capture the energy of sunlight and store it as food energy. These organisms use the sun’s energy to turn water and carbon dioxide into food molecules in a process called photosynthesis. An organism that can make its own food is a producer. Producers are the source of all the food in an ecosystem.
Some members of an ecosystem cannot make their own food. An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms is a consumer.
Consumers are classified by what they eat. Consumers that eat only plants are herbivores. Familiar herbivores are caterpillars and deer. Consumers that eat only animals are carnivores. Lions and spiders are some examples of carnivores.
If an ecosystem had only producers and consumers, the raw materials of life would stay locked up in wastes and the bodies of dead organisms. Luckily, there are organisms in ecosystems that prevent this problem. Decomposers break down wastes and dead organisms and return the raw materials to the ecosystem.
You can think of decomposers as nature’s recyclers. While obtaining energy for their own needs, decomposers return simple molecules to the environment. These molecules can be used again by other organisms. Mushrooms and bacteria are common decomposers.