Producers, consumers, and decomposers play different roles in today's ecosystems. Thinking about these familiar roles led me to a question: Could their differences partly reflect the different physical and chemical environments in which early life developed? I wondered whether the organization of ecosystems might offer a useful starting point for thinking about life's beginnings.

Producers, consumers, and decomposers play different roles in today’s ecosystems. Thinking about these familiar roles led me to a question: Could their differences partly reflect the different physical and chemical environments in which early life developed? I wondered whether the organization of ecosystems might offer a useful starting point for thinking about life’s beginnings.

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