Which statement describes a consumer in an ecosystem?

• A. An organism that creates its own energy from sunlight
• B. An organism obtaining energy from other organisms
• C. An organism that stores energy as fat
• D. An organism that decomposes dead matter only

Answer: (B)

In ecosystems, energy moves from sunlight into producers that make their own food, and then to consumers that obtain energy by feeding on other organisms. A consumer is defined by this feeding behavior: an organism gets its energy by eating other organisms. That’s why describing a consumer as one that obtains energy from other organisms is the best fit. For example, animals like mice, foxes, and fish rely on eating other living things to satisfy their energy needs.

The other statements point to different roles. An organism that makes energy from sunlight is a producer, not a consumer. An organism that stores energy as fat is about energy storage, not how it acquires energy. Decomposers break down dead matter to gain energy, which is a related idea, but the straightforward description of a consumer is feeding on other organisms to obtain energy.