Final answer:
The statement is false because in an ecosystem, energy flows in one direction from producers to consumers and is not recycled, while nutrients/matter such as carbon, nitrogen, and water are indeed recycled through biogeochemical cycles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Flow of Energy vs. Recycling of Matter in Ecosystems
The statement, ' In an ecosystem, energy is recycled, and nutrients/matter flow in one direction,' is false. Energy flows through an ecosystem from the sun or chemical compounds and then from producers to consumers. This energy is not recycled but is transferred in one direction through the food chain. On the other hand, matter, such as nutrients and water, is indeed recycled within an ecosystem through biogeochemical cycles. Components such as carbon, nitrogen, and water are continuously passed between biotic and abiotic factors, ensuring they are always available to organisms within the ecosystem. One example of this is the niche of a jumping spider, which includes how it obtains energy and nutrients as a carnivore within its environment.
Food webs illustrate that energy must keep flowing through an ecosystem for its stability. A food chain provides an example of this flow of energy, such as plant → grasshopper → bird → snake → owl. The food chain exemplifies the unidirectional energy flow, but only a small percentage of the energy is transferred between trophic levels.