Producers, like this plant, take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide during , just like animals and other living things.

Producers, like this plant, take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide during respiration, just like animals and other living things.

Autotrophs obtain energy by the process of photosynthesis. Any living organism need energy to survive and autotrophs are no different. 
Producers uses the sunlight, water and CO2 to produce glucose and process it into energy.