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Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers
In an ecosystem living organisms or biotic factors are also grouped by how they get food for energy. There are three main groups that each have different roles. Each group depends on each other and could not survive if one group were removed.
producers (Autotrophs) – self eating
consumers (heterotrophs) - eating others decomposers
flow of energy - producers to consumers to decomposersflow of energy - producers to consumers to decomposers
flow of energy - producers to consumers to decomposers
flow of energy - producers to consumers to decomposers
Producers, also called autotrophs, are organisms that make their own food by a chemical process called photosynthesis. Most producers are green plants. However a few monerans (bacteria), protists (large single celled organisms), and fungi are also producers.

Producers have special organelles (miniature organs) in each cell called chloroplasts that contain molecules called pigments. These pigments absorb energy from the sun.
Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-2
Chlorophyll is the main pigment that gives plants their green color. Photosynthesis is the chemical process by which producers capture light energy from the sun and use it to combine water with air to form sugar or food. The chemical equation is:
6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy C6H12O6 + 6O2
carbon dioxide + water + sunlight yields sugar (food) and oxygen

chlorophyll leaves because of less sunlight exposing orange, red, and yellow xanthophyll and carotene pigmentschlorophyll leaves because of less sunlight exposing orange, red, and yellow xanthophyll and carotene pigmentsWhy do leaves change colors in the Fall?
chlorophyll leaves because of less sunlight
exposing orange, red, and yellow
xanthophyll and carotene pigments
chlorophyll leaves because of less sunlight
exposing orange, red, and yellow
xanthophyll and carotene pigments


The food that producers make supplies them with energy and also becomes a source of energy for the organisms that eat the producers. Without plants (the primary producers) consumers and decomposers would not be able to live. Producers always start every food chain.
Food Chain: producer consumer consumer decomposerFood Chain: producer consumer consumer decomposer
Food Chain: producer consumer consumer decomposer
Food Chain: producer consumer consumer decomposer
Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-3
respiration = metabolism = eatingrespiration = metabolism = eatingA consumer, also called a heterotroph, is an organism that cannot make its own food. It must eat producers or other organisms for energy. All animals are consumers. A few protists and a very few exotic plants are also consumers.
respiration = metabolism = eating
respiration = metabolism = eating

Consumers make food through a process called respiration. Oxygen and sugar are combined to produce carbon dioxide, water and energy. Consumers breathe in the oxygen that is produced by the photosynthesizers. The oxygen is used to break down the food to release energy that powers all life processes. The breakdown of food also produces carbon dioxide which is removed from the body when we exhale. The chemical equation is:

C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
waterwatercarbon dioxidecarbon dioxideoxygenoxygensugar(glucose)sugar(glucose)
water
water
carbon dioxide
carbon dioxide
oxygen
oxygen
sugar
(glucose)
sugar
(glucose)



respiration: big scale is breathing, small scale is cell eatingrespiration: big scale is breathing, small scale is cell eating
respiration: big scale is breathing,
small scale is cell eating
respiration: big scale is breathing,
small scale is cell eating


photosynthesis: stores energy for producers respiration: release energy for movement for consumersphotosynthesis: stores energy for producers respiration: release energy for movement for consumers
photosynthesis: stores energy for producers

respiration: release energy for movement
for consumers
photosynthesis: stores energy for producers

respiration: release energy for movement
for consumers







Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-4



There are many kinds of consumers:
(I) herbivore (primary consumer) - eats only plants;
includes cows, zebras, horses, deer, some insects

(II) carnivores (secondary consumer) - eats only other consumers (meat); includes cats, owls, seals, spiders, seals, hawks

(III) omnivore (tertiary consumer) - eats both plants and animals; includes raccoons, monkeys, bears, skunks, turtles

(IV) scavengers - animals that feed on the bodies of dead animals; includes vultures, hyenas, worms








Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-5
Decomposers are organisms that get energy by decaying or breaking down chemically the remains of dead organisms. They are nature's recyclers. Most bacteria and fungi and some protists are decomposers. When an organism dies, decomposers decay the body extracting the last bit of energy from it. The common left over materials such as water, carbon dioxide, and minerals can then be reused by producers to make sugar through photosynthesis.


Decomposers get energy through respiration, so they are heterotrophs. However, their energy is obtained at the cellular level, so they are called decomposers not consumers.








Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-6
N2 = air NO3 = nitrates = usable by animals, turned into proteins and DNA NO2 = nitrites (poisonous for animals) NH4 (ammonia)N2 = air NO3 = nitrates = usable by animals, turned into proteins and DNA NO2 = nitrites (poisonous for animals) NH4 (ammonia)The nitrogen cycle is the movement of nitrogen from the environment into living organisms and back into the environment. Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere. It is necessary for all living organisms because it is the primary building block in proteins and DNA.
N2 = air
NO3 = nitrates = usable by animals, turned into proteins and DNA
NO2 = nitrites (poisonous for animals) NH4 (ammonia)
N2 = air
NO3 = nitrates = usable by animals, turned into proteins and DNA
NO2 = nitrites (poisonous for animals) NH4 (ammonia)


The nitrogen in the air cannot be used by producers and consumers. It must be fixed or converted by bacteria in the ground into a useable form for plants called nitrates. Some plants called legumes (beans and clover) actually have bacteria in their roots. Once the plants use the nitrates, consumers eat the plants so the nitrogen is transferred. The consumers die and give off wastes transferring the nitrates back to the environment. Other bacteria unfix the nitrates, or change it back into nitrogen returning it into the air. The cycle then starts over again.
Fixers= decomposers that change nitrogen into a useful form for plants and animals (legumes – nodules on bean roots, symbiosis - mutualism) Fixers= decomposers that change nitrogen into a useful form for plants and animals (legumes – nodules on bean roots, symbiosis - mutualism)
Fixers= decomposers that change nitrogen
into a useful form for plants and animals

(legumes – nodules on bean roots,
symbiosis - mutualism)
Fixers= decomposers that change nitrogen
into a useful form for plants and animals

(legumes – nodules on bean roots,
symbiosis - mutualism)




Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-7

nitrogen cycle

air/lightning - fixingair/lightning - fixing
air/lightning - fixing
air/lightning - fixing
bacteria - fixingbacteria - fixinganimalsanimalsplantsplants
bacteria - fixing
bacteria - fixing
animals
animals
plants
plants









Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-8
carbon cycle
The carbon released by consumers and decomposers is essential to all living organisms because it is part of all biological molecules. The carbon cycle is the movement of carbon from the environment into living things and back into the environment. Carbon dioxide is removed from the air and used by producers during photosynthesis. Most consumers get the carbon they need from eating the producers. Carbon is released back into the environment in three ways:
during the respiration (breathing) of consumers
during decomposition
during combustion - the burning of coal, oil, natural gas, and other fossil fuels
combustion, decompositioncombustion, decomposition
combustion,
decomposition
combustion,
decomposition
plantsplantscarbon dioxidecarbon dioxideanimalsanimals
plants
plants
carbon dioxide
carbon dioxide
animals
animals

oxygenoxygen
oxygen
oxygen





Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-9
In general, the flow of energy in an ecosystem starts with sunlight (the ultimate source of all energy on Earth) which is absorbed by the producers, goes to the consumers, then to the decomposers, and back to the producers to start all over again.
Plants make food through photosynthesis.Plants make food through photosynthesis.SUNLIGHT ENERGYSUNLIGHT ENERGY
Plants make food through photosynthesis.
Plants make food through photosynthesis.
SUNLIGHT ENERGY
SUNLIGHT ENERGY



The nutrients made by the decomposer are used by the producers. The nutrients made by the decomposer are used by the producers. The plants are eaten by consumers.The plants are eaten by consumers.
The nutrients made by the decomposer are used by the producers.
The nutrients made by the decomposer are used by the producers.
The plants are eaten by consumers.
The plants are eaten by consumers.




After the consumer dies, it is recycled by the decomposers.After the consumer dies, it is recycled by the decomposers.
After the consumer dies, it is recycled by the decomposers.
After the consumer dies, it is recycled by the decomposers.








Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-10
Food chains show how the flow of energy in an environment moves from one organism to the next. Food chains always start with producers! Sunlight is not alive so sometimes it is not shown. Organisms get eaten by the organism the arrow is pointing to. For example an animal goes into the mouth of another animal.

Food webs are interconnected food chains. They show how food chains are related and are usually very complex because most consumers eat a variety of different foods and can be eaten by a variety of other consumers. Food chains and webs always start with producers!!!!

Technically speaking, scavengers and decomposers are not part of the energy food chain/web or pyramid because they do not kill and eat thereby transferring energy from one organism to another. Sometimes they are shown at the top of the pyramid or at the end of the web.
Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-11
As energy flows in an ecosystem from producers to consumers to decomposers, about 90% of the total energy is lost at each feeding level in the chain because most of the energy is either used by the organism or is given off as heat. The loss of energy at each level can be represented by an energy pyramid. Because of the energy loss, the amount of energy levels in an ecosystem is limited to about 3-5.
10% rule: An average of only 10% of the energy in one trophic level is passed to the next trophic level.







Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers-12

Organisms on top eat the ones below; producers are on the bottom because they get their energy from the sun!Organisms on top eat the ones below; producers are on the bottom because they get their energy from the sun!The energy pyramid has a large base and becomes smaller at the top. At the base or the first level are the producers. The energy and the number of organisms are very high. At the second level are the various consumers. For each level or feeding stage the energy and number of organisms decreases so the pyramid becomes smaller at the top.
Organisms on top eat the ones below; producers are on the bottom because they get their energy from the sun!
Organisms on top eat the ones below; producers are on the bottom because they get their energy from the sun!

Producers - first level
Herbivores -second level, primary consumers
Carnivores - third level, secondary consumers
Omnivores - top, tertiary
consumers, because they eat everything.
The bottom of the triangle has to be larger than the top because the things on top eat the things below. If the pyramid was flipped (smaller on the bottom), there would be fewer organism and not enough food. So, the whole ecosystem would collapse. Sometimes limiting factors cause pyramids to be inverted destroying ecosystems.The bottom of the triangle has to be larger than the top because the things on top eat the things below. If the pyramid was flipped (smaller on the bottom), there would be fewer organism and not enough food. So, the whole ecosystem would collapse. Sometimes limiting factors cause pyramids to be inverted destroying ecosystems.
The bottom of the triangle has to be larger than the top because the things on top eat the things below. If the pyramid was flipped (smaller on the bottom),
there would be fewer organism and not
enough food. So, the whole ecosystem
would collapse. Sometimes limiting
factors cause pyramids to be inverted
destroying ecosystems.
The bottom of the triangle has to be larger than the top because the things on top eat the things below. If the pyramid was flipped (smaller on the bottom),
there would be fewer organism and not
enough food. So, the whole ecosystem
would collapse. Sometimes limiting
factors cause pyramids to be inverted
destroying ecosystems.