How do producers, consumers, and decomposers cycle matter through ecosystems?

In an ecosystem, matter is continuously cycled between living organisms and the nonliving environment through the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers. Unlike energy, which flows through the system and cannot be reused, chemical elements are recycled repeatedly.12

• Producers (Autotrophs): These organisms, such as plants and algae, use photosynthesis to convert inorganic materials—such as carbon dioxide and water—into energy-rich organic compounds. They serve as the foundation of the food web, incorporating nutrients from the soil and environment into their own biomass.13
• Consumers (Heterotrophs): These organisms cannot produce their own food and instead obtain nutrients by consuming producers or other consumers. As they feed, they rearrange and utilize the organic matter originally built by producers.13
• Decomposers: Organisms such as bacteria and fungi break down dead organisms and organic waste. This process returns essential chemical elements to the environment in inorganic forms, making them available once again for producers to use for growth, thereby completing the biogeochemical cycle.1324