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.

Scavengers

Before decomposers can do their job, scavengers feed on the carcass. Scavengers in the ocean include some types of gulls. On the land, you may have seen vultures or crows scooping out some meat from a roadkill. Basically, gulls or other scavengers in the ocean biome would feast upon the dead animal like the example on the land. Scavengers help keep the marine biome a nice, neat place to be proud of by its inhabitants. You could also think of scavengers as janitors. Once the scavengers are gone, the food chain would become like this: energy source<-- producer<-- primary consumer<-- secondary consumer<-- decomposer. Even though scavengers may not see important, these critters are. Soon, many carcasses and bones would be lying around, for the decomposer to decompose. This sight would not make the inhabitants of the marine biome proud. These decomposers would have to work overtime, making it hard on them. With scavengers in the food chain, the marine biome is neatly kept.