Biosphere Contents

1. Organic Matter

The products of assimilation are either ingested by animals that graze on plants (herbivores) or are broken down by micro-organisms that decompose dead plant material

Herbivorous animals partially break down the assimilates (they digest their food), and rebuild the components into their own assimilates. Unassimilated ions are taken up directly by micro- organisms or herbivores and these ions are either released into the ecosphere from micro-organisms, excreted into the ecosphere by animals or pass into carnivores along with the assimilates. Eventually the herbivores and carnivores die and are eaten by scavengers or are decomposed by micro-organisms themselves. Heterotrophic animals and micro-organisms rely on plants to produce organic matter for them to ingest. They also have essential elements that they must obtain, but these differ slightly from the macro and micronutrients of plants.

Carnivores: Cheetah

Herbivores: Wildebeest

Scavengers: Vultures

What are herbivores?