Decomposers

A decomposer is an organism that decomposes material. An example of a decomposer in the ocean is bacteria. Maybe an animal died because of a disease. When that animal settles to the floor of the ocean, bacteria may decompose it. Another decomposer in the ocean is the sea cucumber. One more oceanic decomposer is the marine worm. Decomposers break up the animal, making it into nutrients for the sea. Decomposers are important to the food chain. If decomposers weren't there, producers would not get any rich nutrients and humus from the soil. These producers would become extinct. Once producers are extinct, the food supply for the primary consumers is cut off. Soon, the primary consumers would decline. Since the primary conusmers would vanish, the food supply would diminish for the secondary consumers, who would slowly die out. Scavengers would do their job on the secondary and primary consumers, but their food supply would run out. The scavengers would die, and the food chain would collapse.