Plants take up nutrients from the soil
consumers eat plants
consumer may be eaten by another consumer
consumer dies
bacteria decompose consumer and return organic matter into the soil
bacteria turn this matter into nutrients
---back to the beginning---
Depending on what type of matter your talking about, there could also be branches off from this cycle, for exampling animals urinating and respiring, but in a natural ecosystem eventually they all end up back in the soil.
consumers eat plants
consumer may be eaten by another consumer
consumer dies
bacteria decompose consumer and return organic matter into the soil
bacteria turn this matter into nutrients
---back to the beginning---
Depending on what type of matter your talking about, there could also be branches off from this cycle, for exampling animals urinating and respiring, but in a natural ecosystem eventually they all end up back in the soil.