Final answer:
The movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment is called biogeochemical cycles. These cycles involve the movement of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus between living organisms and the environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment is called biogeochemical cycles. Biogeochemical cycles are pathways through which matter and nutrients are recycled in ecosystems. These cycles involve the movement of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus between the living organisms and the environment.
For example, the carbon cycle involves the movement of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to plants through photosynthesis, then to animals through consumption of plants or other animals, and finally back to the atmosphere through respiration and decomposition. Similarly, the nitrogen cycle involves nitrogen being converted into different forms by bacteria and taken up by plants, which are then consumed by animals, and eventually returned to the environment through decomposition.