Question

Only producers are able to capture energy from the sun and matter from the environment to make food. How does energy that comes from the sun get to every other organism in an ecosystem? How does matter from the environment enter every other organism?

Answer 1

Plants get energy from the sun, a consumer that eat plants (a herbivore or omnivore aka primary consumer) get energy from the plants, a consumer that eats other consumers (a carnivore or omnivore aka secondary consumer) gets energy from the organism, and so on. This process is called the food chain and can be represented in a food web and food pyramid that shows the flow of energy from one consumer to another.

Matter from the environment, such as a fallen leaf or tree will decompose into the ground and give decomposers energy. Decomposer help break down organic matter (like dead animals and plants) and require the least amount of energy in the energy flow pyramid and are often left out of pyramids for that reason.

Here's an example of the energy flow pyramid:

Answer 2

Energy is transferred by the roots of the producers. The producers have the energy in the plant system so the roots are connected to the ground which they released energy to others around.