Flow of Matter in Ecosystems

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What is the flow of matter in ecosystems?

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The flow of matter in ecosystems refers to the movement of nutrients and organic materials through different organisms and the environment, including producers, consumers, and decomposers.

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What role do producers play in an ecosystem?

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Producers, such as plants, create their own food through photosynthesis and provide energy and matter for consumers.

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What is a consumer in an ecosystem?

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Consumers are organisms that obtain energy and matter by eating other organisms, including herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

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What is a decomposer?

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Decomposers are organisms, like fungi and bacteria, that break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil.

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How do nutrients cycle in an ecosystem?

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Nutrients cycle through ecosystems as producers take them from the soil, consumers eat the producers, and decomposers break down dead organisms, returning nutrients to the soil.

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What is organic matter?

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Organic matter is matter that is or was alive, including plant and animal material.

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What is a nutrient?

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A nutrient is a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life.

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What happens if a predator cannot find its preferred prey?

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If a predator cannot find its preferred prey, it may switch to different prey to survive.

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What is the role of a dung beetle in an ecosystem?

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Dung beetles help clean up animal waste, recycling nutrients back into the soil.

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How do organisms obtain matter for their bodies?

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Organisms obtain matter for their bodies primarily through food.