Explain the biotic component of a …

Living things and their environment together form an ecosystem. The living or biotic components of an ecosystem are producers, consumers and decomposers.

1. Producers: All producers are autotrophs because they make food for all non-green living organisms on earth. Example – green plants.
2. Consumers: Animals and non-green plants obtain nutrients from the green plants and are called consumers. Consumers are heterotrophs. They are divided into three types – herbivores, carnivores and omnivores.

1. Herbivores eat plants and plant products. Example – cow, goat, camel, elephant, etc.
2. Carnivores are flesh-eating animals. They prey upon herbivores. Examples – tiger, lion, fox, hawk, etc.
3. Omnivores eat both plants and animals. Examples – man, crow, bear, etc.

1. Decomposers: They decompose and destroy the dead remains of plants and animals and return nutrients to the soil and help in the formation of humus. Examples – fungi and bacteria.