Decomposers break down dead matter for energy

Steps:

• Recall that energy in ecosystems comes from producers, consumers, and decomposers.
• Identify organisms that feed on dead organic matter as decomposers, like bacteria and fungi.
• Eliminate producers, which use sunlight, and consumers, which eat living things.
• Confirm decomposers always rely on non-living sources for energy release.

Why B is correct:

• Decomposers obtain energy by breaking down dead organic matter through decomposition, releasing nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Why the others are wrong:

• A. Consumers get energy from eating living organisms or other consumers, not exclusively dead matter.
• C. Fungi include decomposers but also parasites and symbionts that use living hosts.
• D. Producers create energy from inorganic sources like sunlight via photosynthesis.

Final answer: B