Matter is reused in the ecosystem

producers, consumers, and decomposers cycle matter as they consume food and die, returning nutrients to the soil to be used by plants to grow.

Decomposers break down materials in an ecosystem and release organic compounds to be used by plants.

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Questions that go with the Video:

(Answer these in you spiral:)

  • 1.  "When you see sprouts, give thanks to the decomposers." Explain what this means, using examples.
  • 2.  Why did the narrator call the earthworm the "king of decomposers"?
  • 3.  What do decomposers recycle?
  • 4.  What kinds of organisms are decomposers? Give specific examples.
  • 5.  What would happen if there were only producers and consumers in an ecosystem?
  • 6.  How are nutrients recycled in an ecosystem?


  • Compost is produced when gardeners make a mixture of various decaying organic substances, such as dead leaves or kitchen scraps, and allow the mixture to decay naturally. The compost is then used for fertilizing the soil.