Which term is used for an organism that obtains its energy from abiotic sources, such as sunlight or inorganic chemicals?

• A. Producer
• B. Consumer
• C. Heterotroph
• D. Decomposer

Answer: (A)

Energy that powers the base of ecosystems comes from non-living sources. Organisms that capture that energy to build their own biomass are producers. They use light in photosynthesis or inorganic chemicals in chemosynthesis to convert energy into organic matter, forming the primary source of organic material for all other organisms. Examples include plants, algae, and many bacteria that perform photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Consumers rely on others for energy, so they cannot be the ones described. Decomposers obtain energy by breaking down already dead or waste organic matter, not by grabbing energy directly from abiotic sources.