Write a short note on biotic components of the environment.

All the living organisms in an ecosystem, namely, plants, animals and microorganisms form its biotic components. Depending on how they obtain their food, living organisms can be divided into three groups, namely, producers, consumers and decomposers.

Producers — Green plants make their own food in the presence of sunlight using water, minerals and carbon dioxide. Thus, green plants are called producers or autotrophs.

Consumers — Living organisms that cannot make their own food but consume either plants or other animals, are called consumers or heterotrophs. They are either herbivores, carnivores or omnivores.

Decomposers — The microorganisms that feed on the dead bodies of organisms and decaying organic matter are called Decomposers.