Video Transcript
Which type of organism transforms
nonliving components into living components and acts as the energy source to all
other organisms directly and indirectly?
To answer this question, we need to
recall the types of organisms and how each type obtains energy. The energy in an ecosystem
typically starts with the Sun. Green plants, algae, and some
bacteria convert sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis. A few organisms, like deep-sea
bacteria, break down chemicals for energy instead of photosynthesizing. These plants, algae, and bacteria
are called producers because they produce their own food.
Green plants are then eaten by
another type of organism. The organisms that feed on plants
are called herbivores. Herbivores are eaten by other
organisms. The organisms that feed on meat
from other animals are called carnivores. Both herbivores and carnivores are
consumers. This is because they consume other
organisms to survive and cannot produce the energy they need themselves.
When consumers or producers die,
their bodies are eaten by fungi, bacteria, and small invertebrates. These organisms are called
decomposers because they carry out the process of decomposition. They break down all the dead matter
and waste of other organisms into simpler substances. Producers can absorb the minerals
and elements left behind by decomposers, and the cycle continues.
Of the different types of
organisms, only producers transform nonliving components into living components. They are the source of energy for
herbivores and decomposers directly and for carnivores and decomposers
indirectly. So, the answer to the question is
producers.
