Producers, consumers and decomposers
A plant, a fish and bacteria share one pond. What job does each one do?
Step 1 of 4
- A plant, a fish and bacteria live in one pond.
- The plant is a producer. It makes its own food, using sunlight.
- The fish is a consumer. It eats plants or other animals.
- Bacteria are decomposers. They feed on dead matter.
Switch each job off. See what stops.
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Without producers there is no food. Without decomposers, dead matter piles up.
New words
- Producer — a living thing that makes its own food, using sunlight.
- Consumer — a living thing that eats plants or other animals for food.
- Decomposer — a living thing that feeds on dead matter. Bacteria and fungi are decomposers.
- Nutrients — the substances plants take from the soil to grow.
The rule
A producer makes its own food, using sunlight. A consumer gets food by eating plants or other animals. A decomposer feeds on dead matter and returns nutrients to the soil.
| Part | Job |
|---|---|
| A water plant | Producer |
| A fish | Consumer |
| A mushroom on a dead log | Decomposer |
A garden works the same way. A rose bush is the producer. A bee visiting it is a consumer. Bacteria and fungi (mushrooms and moulds) in the soil are decomposers.
The three jobs fit together. If one job stops, the others suffer. With no decomposers, dead leaves pile up. The soil gets fewer nutrients.