In nature, three main groups help keep ecosystems healthy: producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Producers:

• These are also called autotrophs.
• They use sunlight or chemical substances to make their own energy. This process is known as photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
• About half of the primary energy production on Earth comes from tiny plants called phytoplankton in the oceans.
• These phytoplankton help produce around 80% of the oxygen we breathe!

Consumers:

• Consumers, or heterotrophs, need to eat other living things to get their energy.
• They are divided into different types:
  • Herbivores eat only plants (these are called primary consumers).
  • Carnivores eat other animals (these are secondary and tertiary consumers).
  • Omnivores eat both plants and animals.
• In a typical land ecosystem, primary consumers make up about 10% of all living matter.

Decomposers:

• Decomposers, like bacteria and fungi, break down dead plants and animals.
• They return important nutrients back to the soil.
• About 90% of nutrients in an ecosystem are recycled by decomposers. This helps plants grow and keeps the cycle of life going.

Together, producers, consumers, and decomposers create a complex web of interactions. This web is important for keeping ecosystems healthy and balanced.