The invisible cycle of atoms moving through every living thing
In short: Understand how life sustains itself through a constant exchange of matter. This video explains the mechanics of food webs, showing how energy and atoms move between producers, consumers, and decomposers to keep ecosystems functioning.
Food webs serve as models for the transfer of matter and energy between three primary groups: producers, consumers, and decomposers. While energy flows through these interactions, matter is cycled repeatedly between the living and nonliving components of an environment.
A critical role in this cycle is played by decomposers. They recycle nutrients from dead plant and animal matter back into the soil in terrestrial settings or into the water in aquatic environments. This process ensures that the atoms making up organisms are constantly reused by the ecosystem.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Matter and energy in food webs | Middle school biology | Khan Academy
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