Decomposers and Ecosystem Dynamics

The video explains energy flow in ecosystems, highlighting the importance of sunlight as the primary energy source. It describes how plants use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into food, serving as producers. Consumers, including herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, obtain energy by eating plants or other animals. Decomposers play a crucial role in breaking down waste and dead organisms, recycling energy back into the ecosystem. The video categorizes organisms into producers, consumers, and decomposers, emphasizing their interconnected roles in maintaining ecosystem balance.

What is the primary source of new energy entering an ecosystem?

• Soil

• Wind

• Sunlight

• Water

What process do plants use to convert sunlight into food?

• Respiration

• Fermentation

• Photosynthesis

• Digestion

What is the main function of chlorophyll in plants?

• To absorb water

• To store energy

• To protect plants from predators

• To give plants their green color and aid in photosynthesis

Which type of organism makes its own food using sunlight?

• Scavengers

• Consumers

• Decomposers

• Producers

What do herbivores primarily consume?

• Meat

• Decomposed material

• Both plants and meat

• Plants

Which group of consumers eats both plants and animals?

• Decomposers

• Omnivores

• Carnivores

• Herbivores

Which of the following is NOT a type of consumer?

• Herbivore

• Producer

• Carnivore

• Omnivore

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

• Providing shelter for other organisms

• Breaking down waste and recycling energy

• Consuming plants and animals

• Producing food from sunlight

How do decomposers contribute to the ecosystem when leaves fall off a tree?

• They use the leaves for photosynthesis

• They break down the leaves and return energy to the soil

• They store the leaves for future use

• They eat the leaves

What would happen if there were no decomposers in an ecosystem?

• Animals would have more food

• Plants would grow faster

• Dead material would accumulate

• Energy would flow more efficiently