Science Common Sense

351 - What is the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem?

Imagine a food chain with three main groups:

  1. Producers: These are plants, like trees and grass, that make their own food using sunlight. They're like the chefs of the ecosystem, creating energy for everyone else.

  2. Consumers: These are animals that eat the producers or other animals. They can be herbivores (plant-eaters), carnivores (meat-eaters), or omnivores (both plant- and meat-eaters). Consumers use the energy from the producers for their own lives.

  3. Decomposers: These are tiny organisms like fungi and bacteria that break down dead plants and animals. They help release the energy and nutrients back into the soil, so new plants can grow.

These three groups work together to keep the ecosystem balanced and healthy.

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