Final answer:
Decomposers in a desert biome, such as bacteria and fungi, break down waste and remains of organisms, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. A desert food chain example includes producers like cacti, consumers such as rabbits and hawks, and decomposers returning nutrients to the soil.
Step-by-step explanation:
The decomposers of a Desert biome are similar to those in other ecosystems and play a crucial role in maintaining the desert's ecological balance. Decomposers such as bacteria and fungi break down dead material and waste, converting them into simpler molecules that can be reused by producers like plants. One example of a desert food chain might be: cacti (producer) → desert cottontail (herbivore) → red-tailed hawk (carnivore). To add decomposers to this food chain, consider soil bacteria and fungi that would break down the remains of the hawk when it dies, returning nutrients to the soil to be used by plants such as cacti.
Decomposers are essential as they ensure the continuous availability of nutrients for producers. Without decomposers, dead organisms and waste would accumulate, leading to a shortage of nutrients for plants, disrupting the food chain and potentially causing the collapse of the ecosystem.