Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers 3.3

Producers All living things get energy from food Producers make their own food They are called Autotrophs Most are green plants and algae Make food through photosynthesis

Photosynthesis In order for photosynthesis to work, the following is needed: ◦ Source of energy  sunlight ◦ Water  H 2 O ◦ Carbon Dioxide  CO 2 ◦ Chlorophyll  a special green pigment, which is a chemical that can absorb certain kids of light  Chlorophyll is stored in special cell structures known as chloroplasts

Producers Humans and animals rely on producers for more than just food Oxygen in the atmosphere comes from plants and algae More than 50% of that oxygen comes from green plants in the ocean

Consumers Organisms that depend on producers for food All animals Cannot make their own food (Heterotrophs) Three types of consumers ◦ Herbivore ◦ Carnivore ◦ Omnivore

Herbivore Plant eaters Feed directly on producers ◦ Cows ◦ Rabbits ◦ Deer ◦ Sheep ◦ Grasshoppers

Carnivore Meat eaters Feed on herbivores or other carnivores Wolves, eagles, frogs, snakes Some do not feed on living things, but rather dead animals Rotting meat is called carrion Carnivores that feed on carrion are called scavengers (lobsters, vultures, coyotes)

Omnivores Consumers who eat both plants and animals Can use many food sources at different times of the year Humans, bears, pigs, raccoons

Decomposers Some consumers get their energy by breaking down dead organisms Without decomposers, dead animal and plant material would build up everywhere Fungi and bacteria are common

Decomposers Eat any organic matter Organic matter, such as fallen leaves and tree trunks, is any material containing carbon that was once alive Decomposers make sure that matter passed from plants to animals is recycled again

Vocabulary Biotic Decomposer Abiotic Carrion Photosynthesis Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore Prey Predator