A wetland is an area of land that has most of its area covered by water, some of the areas being soggy and/ or marshy.
In wetlands, like in other ecosystems, there is a well-defined food chain, which comprises the typical producers, consumers, and decomposers.
In wetlands, the major primary producers are plants and autotrophic algae. These organisms use sunlight to manufacture their food. They become food for the next level of the food chain -the consumers.
Primary consumers in a wetland are some species of fish, clams, shrimps, amphibians, some shellfish, and some insects. Secondary consumers feed on the primary consumers and typically involve some bigger fish, sharks, and other aquatic animals that don’t feed directly on plants.
The decomposers include saprophytic bacteria and fungi which break down dead aquatic organisms.
This combination/ cycle of nutrients forms the next base for food/ nutrient provision for the different levels.