Which of the following is the correct sequence for energy transfer and nutrient cycling among living things
in an ecosystem?
Answer Details
The correct sequence for energy transfer and nutrient cycling among living things in an ecosystem is:
Producers → consumers → decomposers
Producers are organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. They are the base of the food chain and transfer energy to the consumers (herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores) when they are consumed. The consumers, in turn, pass on the energy to the decomposers, which break down the dead organic matter and return nutrients to the soil, completing the nutrient cycle. Therefore, the correct sequence is producers → consumers → decomposers.