Question

In forest ecosystem fungi comes under
A. Secondary consumer
B. Tertiary consumer
C. Decomposer
D. Primary producer

Answer 1

Hint: Fungi are heterotrophic, it obtains the external sources from their food. They have an absorbent or Holophytic type of food. The substrate is dissolved and then absorbed. Therefore, fungi produce extracellular enzymes that break down the insoluble substrate into smaller fragments and finally into dissolved units, which are then absorbed by hyphae.

Complete answer:
Let’s first understand about the nutrition of fungi.
Fungi are heterotrophic; they obtain their food from external sources.. They have an absorbent or Holophytic type of food. They live as parasites, saprobe or symbionts. Like parasites, fungi grow on plants, animals, and humans and cause disease through their existence. Fungal parasitism varies from optional to mandatory parasitism. Optional parasites can become saprobic in the absence of a host, whereas obligate parasites (powdery mildew, mildew, and rust) only grow on their specific host.
Now let’s understand about the options given above.
The first trophic level (producers) -This level consists of the main producers. This level is the foot of the ecological pyramid. The food chain will also start at trophic level 1. This level is occupied by algae and plants. The main characteristic of organisms at the trophic level 1 is their ability to make their own food from abiotic materials. Plants, for example, can produce their food through photosynthesis.
Primary consumers-.At these level (second trophic level) organisms that occupy this level eat the main producers and are referred to as the main consumers. Animals that eat plant material are called herbivores. Secondary consumers-Secondary consumers are animals that eat primary consumers.
Tertiary consumers- Organisms that eat secondary consumers are called tertiary consumers, and those that eat tertiary consumers are called quaternary consumers.
Decomposer-The last trophic level is occupied by decomposers such as detritors. They feed on dead plant and animal substances. Detritors are decomposers that specifically break down to consume their food. Examples of detritors are worms, millipedes, dung flies, wood lice, and snails. Other decomposers include fungi and bacteria.
From the above points it’s clear that fungi are a decomposer.
So, the correct answer is “Option C”.

Note:
Fungi that grow on dead organic matter are called saprobes. They each have little or no parasitic abilities. Some fungi thrive on a single dead leaf in the soil, but because of this they cannot grow a single bit in the soil. This is because the tough sap samples in the soil produce antibiotics and fungal static substances that inhibit the growth of other fungi - especially parasites. Fungi are in constant contact with other organisms which benefit both partners. This is called symbiosis. Lichens and mycorrhizae are symbiotic associations of fungi. In mosses they are partners of algae and cyanobacteria, whereas in mycorrhizae (= fungal roots) fungi enter into permanent associations with plant roots. in bacteria by swallowing (phagocytosis) using pseudopodia.