In an ecosystem, what is a producer?

• A. An organism that gets energy by consuming other organisms
• B. An organism that makes its own organic molecules from inorganic substances, often using sunlight (e.g., photosynthesis)
• C. A nonliving environmental factor such as temperature or water availability
• D. An organism that breaks down dead organic matter and recycles nutrients

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the role of different organisms in an ecosystem: producers, consumers, and decomposers.
2. Recall that producers are organisms that create their own organic molecules from inorganic substances, typically through photosynthesis, using sunlight as an energy source.
3. Recognize that consumers obtain energy by eating other organisms, so they are not producers.
4. Identify that decomposers break down dead organic matter and recycle nutrients, which is a different role from producers.
5. Conclude that a producer is an organism that synthesizes organic compounds from inorganic materials, forming the base of the food chain.