How is matter cycled through an ecosystem?

Matter is cycled through an ecosystem through processes like photosynthesis, decomposition, and consumption. Producers, like plants, take in nutrients from the environment and convert them into energy. Consumers then eat the producers, transferring the nutrients up the food chain. When organisms die, decomposers break down their remains, releasing nutrients back into the environment to be used again. This continuous cycle ensures that matter is constantly being recycled within the ecosystem.