An ecosystem is an comprising and non-living things. It provides the conditions to enable life to sustain itself and reproduce. Plants make their own and for this reason they are called . They use , water and carbon dioxide in the process of which takes place in the leaves. Animals which eat these plants are called consumers. These in turn are the prey of other, meat-eating animals, which are called consumers. When plants or animals die, they are either eaten by animals or birds, or they decompose (decay) and are eaten by micro-organisms in the soil. This process enriches the soil and allows to grow into plants.