Consider statements about ecology: 1. Producers form the base of the food chain. 2. Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem. 3. Energy flows bidirectionally in a food chain. Which are correct? MCQ with Answer and Explanation

Producers (autotrophs like green plants) form the first trophic level and the base of all food chains, converting solar energy into chemical energy. Decomposers (bacteria and fungi) break down dead organic matter and waste, releasing essential inorganic nutrients back into the soil for producers to use, thus completing the nutrient cycle. Energy flow in an ecosystem is strictly unidirectional, moving from the sun to producers and then to consumers, and is eventually lost as heat; it does not flow bidirectionally. Thus, statements 1 and 2 are correct.