Cycle of Matter in Ecosystems

Front

What do decomposers do?

Back

Break down dead plants and animals.

Front

What are decomposers?

Back

Organisms that recycle nutrients from dead plant or animal matter back to the soil or water.

Front

What is the conservation of matter?

Back

The idea that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Front

What is the purpose of a food web?

Back

To demonstrate how matter and energy is transferred between producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A map of who eats who in an ecosystem.

Front

What are producers in an ecosystem?

Back

Organisms that capture sunlight and use it to create their own food through photosynthesis.

Front

What are consumers?

Back

Organisms that eat other organisms for energy.

Front

What is a nutrient cycle?

Back

The process through which nutrients are recycled in an ecosystem.

Front

What role do plants play in the cycle of matter?

Back

Plants absorb nutrients from the soil and convert them into energy through photosynthesis.

Front

What is the role of sunlight in ecosystems?

Back

Sunlight provides the energy needed for photosynthesis, which is the foundation of food chains.