Question

Which event would result if populations of decomposers in an ecosystem suddenly decreased?

Energy would be trapped in consumers with no way to release it into the ecosystem.

Producers would begin breaking down consumers to access stored energy.

The producers in the ecosystem would produce more energy to compensate.

Consumers would become the primary energy source of the ecosystem.

Answer 1

Energy would be trapped in consumers with no way to release it into the ecosystem

Step-by-step explanation:

Decomposers play a critical role in breaking down dead organic matter and releasing nutrients back into the ecosystem. Without decomposers, the dead organic matter would not be broken down, and the nutrients would not be released into the ecosystem. As a result, the energy would become trapped in consumers, and there would be no way to release it back into the ecosystem. This could lead to a buildup of dead organic matter, which could cause a decrease in oxygen levels and the growth of harmful bacteria. Overall, a decrease in decomposer populations would have a significant impact on the ecosystem's nutrient cycling and could potentially disrupt the entire food web.