Producers, Consumers, Decomposers

Front

What is a producer?

Back

A producer is an organism that can make its own food, typically through photosynthesis. Examples include plants and algae.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Front

What is a consumer?

Back

A consumer is an organism that cannot make its own food and must eat other organisms for energy. Examples include animals and humans.

Front

What is a decomposer?

Back

A decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead or decaying organisms, returning nutrients to the soil. Examples include fungi and bacteria.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Front

What role do producers play in an ecosystem?

Back

Producers form the base of the food chain, providing energy for consumers through photosynthesis.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Front

What are the two main types of consumers?

Back

The two main types of consumers are herbivores (plant-eaters) and carnivores (meat-eaters). Omnivores eat both plants and animals.

Front

How do decomposers contribute to the ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the soil, making them available for producers, and help in the decomposition process.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Front

Give an example of a food chain involving producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Back

Grass (producer) → Rabbit (herbivore consumer) → Fox (carnivore consumer) → Fungi (decomposer).

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Front

What is the difference between a herbivore and a carnivore?

Back

A herbivore is an animal that primarily eats plants, while a carnivore is an animal that primarily eats other animals.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Front

Why are producers essential for life on Earth?

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Producers are essential because they convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis, which is the foundation of food webs.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

Front

What happens to energy as it moves up the food chain?

Back

Energy decreases as it moves up the food chain due to energy loss at each trophic level, primarily as heat.