Question

Consider the table depicting the four major biomolecules of life. Then review this food web flow chart above. One element is critical to building proteins as well as nucleic acids. What element is that? How does it get into the mix of biomolecule elements? X A B C D carbon; Producers incorporate carbon into every food web via photosynthesis. nitrogen; Decomposers such as bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen and plants then incorporate the nitrogen. nitrogen; Nitrogen is 78% of our atmosphere. All organisms incorporate nitrogen into their bodies through respiration. sulfur, Top level consumers eat lower level consumers, their prey. The sulfur in the muscle tissue of the prey is passed on through the food web.​

Answer 1

Nitrogen; Decomposers such as bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen, and plants then incorporate the nitrogen.

Nitrogen is a crucial element in the formation of proteins and nucleic acids, essential components of life. Decomposers, particularly bacteria, play a vital role in fixing atmospheric nitrogen, converting it into forms that plants can absorb. Through processes like nitrogen fixation, bacteria contribute to the incorporation of nitrogen into the soil. Plants, in turn, assimilate nitrogen from the soil during photosynthesis, incorporating it into their biomolecules.

As organisms consume plants or other organisms in the food web, they acquire nitrogen-containing compounds, sustaining the flow of this essential element through various trophic levels. The cycling of nitrogen in ecosystems highlights the interconnectedness of living organisms and their dependence on elemental resources.