Detritivores

Detritivores refer to the heterotrophs that obtain nutrients such as minerals by the consumption of the detritus. There are various kind of invertebrates, vertebrates and the plants which carry out coprophagy. They should be differentiated from the decomposers and the cycles of nutrition, such as many species of bacteria, fungi and protists which are not able to undergo the process of ingestion of the discrete lumps of matter, but instead of that they live by the absorption and the metabolisation of on a molecular scale. The term detritivores are used interchangeably with the word decomposers.   

There are the invertebrates’ insects such as mites, beetles, butterflies and other flies, molluscs such as slugs and snails or the soil dwelling earthworms millipedes and the woodlice. The examples of the detritivores in the marine surroundings consist of crustaceans such as crabs and the lobsters, echinoderms such as the sea stars or the sea cucumbers. Many of these marine detritivores occupy a niche of similar type to terrestrial soil dwellers that live on or within the seabed that are known as benthos. Those organisms are also often known as bottom feeders. In an alternatively way in the aquatic ecosystem, stationary polychaete worms, barnacles and some corals that undergo their derivation of their energy through the filter feeding on the floating organic detritus that are known as marine snow.  

Contribution of the detritivores in the ecosystem

The detritivores and the decomposers contribute to the breakdown of all of the dead and decaying materials under any ecosystem. They play an eminent role in the cycling of the nutrients are an essential part of the most biogeochemical cycles, such as carnivores, and thus are present throughout all the trophic levels in an ecosystem. The detritivores are generally eaten by the secondary consumers. They are an essential component of the ecosystem energy cycle. The recycling procedure is considered as one of the essential part of the decomposition, the removal of dead materials is essential for the stoppage the spread of a particular disease. The detritivores consume the detritus is made up of Particular organic Materials (POM) which is formed of the tissues that are deposited when the plants and animals die or shed skin or antlers through the molting as well as fecal matter microorganisms. The colonies of the microorganisms within the detritus add to its nutritional value. In the terrestrial environments detritus may be present in the form of humus that is the dead materials that is mixed with the soils or as the leaf litter. In the aquatic environments the detritus is suspends as the marine snow, which eventually falls to the seabed.

The detritivores feed on the larger particulate matter in the initial stage of decomposition and in the doing of so fragment the material in to smaller sized pieces. The digestion by the detritivores breaks down some carbohydrates, proteins and the lipids that are present in the detritus in to simpler substance. The water soluble nutrients produced from the leach into the soil and enhance the soil mineral content. At the same time, the detritivores undergo the process of extraction of nutrition for their own life cycles and in doing so they make contribute their biomass to the food chain when they are eaten by consumers. Continuously during the procedure the various decomposers such as fungi and various other microorganisms which are also known as saprophytes perform the decomposition using the chemical compounds and the digestive enzymes such as inorganic carbon. These cyclic substances are essential to all forms of life. The inorganic carbon that is released from the respiration of the decomposers is taken in by plants and is used to the process of photosynthesis. The digestion by the detritivores breaks down some carbohydrates, proteins and the lipids that are present in the detritus in to simpler substance. The water soluble nutrients produced from the leach into the soil and enhance the soil mineral content. At the same time, the detritivores undergo the process of extraction of nutrition for their own life cycles and in doing so they make contribute their biomass to the food chain when they are eaten by consumers. They should be differentiated from the decomposers and the cycles of nutrition, such as many species of bacteria, fungi and protists which are not able to undergo the process of ingestion of the discrete lumps of matter, but instead of that they live by the absorption and the metabolisation of on a molecular scale. The digestion by the detritivores breaks down some carbohydrates, proteins and the lipids that are present in the detritus in to simpler substance.

Examples of  various detritivores

Worms

The worms are considered one of the most essential soil dwelling detritivores. They enable the consumption of a large amount of organic matter and soil. They are present in all the layers of their substrate. Epigenic worms are the worms that live on the surface whereas endogenic worms that live in the upper layer of the soil. These are the two types of worm that have the tendency to feed on the dead grass, fallen leaves and various other bioorganic materials such as fungi, algae and the microorganisms  that are also feeding on these substances. The angeic worms live deep within the soil initially consists of raw soil, although this contains many bacteria, fungi and algae.

Worms take in food with the help of the mouth and they suck it into the digestive system using the muscular action. As the materials passes through the digestive system with the help of the muscular action into the gizzard, it is subject to the digestive enzymes as well as the grinding action resulting from the presence of grit and sand from the soil. The angeic worms live deep within the soil initially consists of raw soil, although this contains many bacteria, fungi and algae. Epigenic worms are the worms that live on the surface whereas endogenic worms that live in the upper layer of the soil.

Springtails

The springtail refer to the wingless arthropods that reside initially as detritivores. They are very often found living within the leaf litter and other habitats where decaying materials are present. Examples of springtail are moss, grass and dead wood. It is seen that most of the springtails belong to the category of the vegetarians that feed on the fungal mycelium, vegetation, lichens, pollen and the algae. However some species have been found to feed on the decaying animal matter. There are animal matters such as dead earthworms and flies.

The springtails are highly adaptable with a rapid rate of reproduction and a diverse habitat. They colonize in the large numbers and are one of the most numerous macroscopic animals, a single square metre of soil can contain around 100000 springtails. They can handle a range of temperatures from the warm habitats and to frozen snow. However they are generally vulnerable to desiccation and so opt for moist surroundings. It is generally seen that most of the springtails belong to the category of the vegetarians that feed on the fungal mycelium, vegetation, lichens, pollen and the algae. The colonies of the microorganisms within the detritus add to its nutritional value. In the terrestrial environments detritus may be present in the form of humus that is the dead materials that is mixed with the soils or as the leaf litter. It is generally observed, that undergo the derivation of their energy through the filter feeding on the floating organic detritus that are known as marine snow.