Answer:
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. This process is essential in maintaining an oxygenated environment and cycling carbon.
Producers use water, carbon dioxide, and the energy from sunlight to produce high-energy organic molecules. These molecules are then used by consumers as a source of energy.
When consumers eat producers, they break down these organic molecules and release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere through respiration.
The carbon dioxide can then be taken up by producers again through photosynthesis, therefore completing the cycle of matter through an ecosystem.