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Nel and Wil's Ecology 1 . 2 . 3
> Plants can make their own food by obtaining sunlight through a process called Photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process of converting energy from the sun into chemical energy and storing it as sugar. Two of the most common types of producers are __**Chemotrophs**__ and __** Phototrophs **__. > For example a deer is an __**herbivore**__ meaning that they eat plants. There are a lot of animals in the forest that are herbivores because there is not a great source of meat out there. Herbivores generally are not ferocious animals because they do not have to fight or attack for their food. Generally, they are not the ones looking for other animals to kill for food.
 * __**Producers**__ are organisms that are able to produce their own food from natural substances. An example of a producer would be a plant.
 * __**Chemotrophs**__ are organisms that produce their own food through chemosynthesis. Chemosynthesis is the oxidation or non organic chemical compounds.
 * __**Phototrophs**__ are organisms that carry out the process photosynthesis they also get energy from chemical reactions in the environment.
 * Consumers like the opposite of producers, can not make their own food. They have to work to make them food. Depending on the type of organism, it will hunt or look for food.

__**Carnivores**__ would be the ones that would go hunting other animals to kill. They only eat meat from other animals. It is important for us to known what kind of animals eat what just in case we encounter a carnivorous animal they may try to attack; such as a shark. If you were to come across one of these, you better be ready for a swim to shore! There is such a thing where organisms eat both plants and meat. This is called an __**omnivore**__. An example being a pig or a bear. Some might think a bear is only at meat eater, but if you think about it, they eat berries off a bush!

__**Detritivores**__ are organisms that feed on or break down dead plant or animals in the ecosystem. A microorganism is the most common example of a detritivore.

Another type of consumer is a __**decomposer**__. A decomposer is an organism that consumes other dead organisms or breaks them down, like a mushroom.

Bibliography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detritivores http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnivore http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/chemotrophs%27?r=14 http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio104/photosyn.htm