This document discusses producers, consumers, and decomposers in an ecosystem. It defines producers as organisms like plants that use photosynthesis to produce their own food from sunlight. Consumers are divided into herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers - organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms or their waste. Decomposers, like bacteria and fungi, obtain energy by breaking down dead or waste organic matter. The document provides examples of organisms that fall into each category and discusses how energy flows through food chains and trophic pyramids from producers to consumers to decomposers.

1. Producers, Consumers,
and Decomposers
LEARNING TARGETS:
I CAN DRAW A FOOD WEB AND FOOD CHAIN AND LABEL PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS.
I CAN GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF AN HERBIVORE, OMNIVORE, CARNIVORE AND DECOMPOSER.
I CAN DISCUSS HOW ENERGY FLOWS THROUGH A FOOD CHAIN.
I CAN DISCUSS HOW ENERGY FLOWS THROUGH A TROPHIC PYRAMID.

2. What do all living things need to
survive?
ENERGY

3. What is the source of energy for
almost all living things?
The Sun
https://www.goodfreephotos.com/vector-images/cartoon-sun-vector-art.png.php

4. 1. Producers
 These are organisms that use sunlight to make food
 The process in which plants use the sun’s energy to make food is referred
to as Photosynthesis
 Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll
and generates oxygen as a byproduct.
 Producers are also known as Autotrophs

5. Examples of producers
• Algae, Plants such as Grasses and Trees
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APlants_Conservatory.JPG

6. 2. Consumers
 Organisms that rely on other organisms to obtain the energy that they
need to sustain life.
 There are four types of consumers.
 Herbivores
 Carnivores
 Omnivores
 Decomposers

7. Herbivore
 Consume producers as their source of energy
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cow-bw.JPG

8. Carnivore
 Consume other heterotrophs/animals as their source of energy
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_lion_of_the_Serengeti.JPG

9. Omnivore
 Consume both producers and animals as their source of energy
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bear_Alaska_(3).jpg

10. Examples
Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore
Honey bee Shark Raccoon
Deer Eagle Hedgehog
Rabbit Tiger Chicken
Manatee Mongoose Bear

11. Scavengers
 Consume dead organic matter as a source of their energy
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:151_Turkey_Buzzard.jpg

12. Where do humans fit in a food chain?
 Provide students with the article: Between Pigs and Anchovies: Where
Humans Rank in the Food Chain. (Lexile 1070)
 After reading the article students will respond to the following question in
your Bio. Notebook:
 What type of consumer are you?
 What is the importance of having different types of consumers, rather than
having only one type?

13. 3. Decomposers
 Organisms that obtain energy by breaking down the remains of dead organisms.
 These organisms can be thought of as Nature’s Recyclers!
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bacteria_photomicrograp
h.jpg

14. Decomposers at Work
 Video Link: https://youtu.be/Z6V0a_7N1Mw

15. Can you identify the producers, consumers,
decomposers and scavengers?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/121935927@N06/13578843423

16. Learning Target Check
 In your science notebook answer the following:
 What would happen in an ecosystem if any one of the following groups,
consumers or decomposers, were removed from it?