Question

How do decomposers fit into the food web?

Answer 1

Hint: The food chain can be described as a series of organisms eating one another so that there is the flow of energy and nutrients from one trophic level to the next. A food web is described as a network of food chains that become interconnected at various trophic levels so as to form a number of feeding connections among different organisms of a biotic community.

Complete answer:
Decomposers also called micro consumers constitute a very important part of the ecosystem. As they feed on dead bodies they are also known as separate drops or reduces. Their primary role is to decompose the excreta of animals and dead bodies of plants and animals. This helps in releasing the locked inorganic substances back into the ecosystem.
Decomposers which include bacteria and fungus help in completing the food chain. They convert organic waste such as decaying plants into inorganic substances such as nutrient-rich soil; the decomposers help in completing the cycle of life by returning the nutrients to the soil or oceans. These nutrients are then used by autotrophs for producing food and this starts a whole new food chain.
Detritivores or the decomposers form the final part of the food chain. These are the organisms that eat non-living plants and animal remains. Scavengers such as vultures are examples of decomposers that eat dead animals.

Note: In an ecosystem no food chain is independent. It is formed by interlinking of three types of food chains that are predatory chains, parasitic chains and saprophytic chains. The producer, and saprotrophs are the biotic components of the ecosystem and are usually considered as three functional Kingdoms of nature.