How do consumers obtain energy in an ecosystem?

Consumers obtain energy in an ecosystem primarily by consuming other organisms. This includes organisms such as animals, which rely on eating plants, herbivores, or other carnivorous animals to gain the energy they need to survive. Unlike producers, which create their own food through processes like photosynthesis, consumers are dependent on other living things for their energy source. This interaction is crucial for the flow of energy within an ecosystem, as it creates a complex food web where various organisms have roles either as predators or prey, contributing to the overall balance of the environment.

Producers, which engage in photosynthesis, convert sunlight into energy, so they don't fall under the category of consumers. The remaining options involve mechanisms of obtaining nutrients that may apply to certain organisms, but they do not specifically describe how consumers gain their energy in the ecosystem context.