- Living organisms are made up of organic matter like carbon compounds, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. They obtain this organic matter through trophic relationships in an ecosystem. - In a trophic relationship, organisms are organized into producers, consumers, and decomposers based on how they obtain matter and energy. Producers like plants produce organic matter from inorganic sources while consumers eat other organisms and decomposers break down dead organic matter. - Trophic relationships can be represented by trophic chains that show who eats whom, or more complex trophic webs that show multiple feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.