Advertisement
Advertisement
detritivore
[dih-trahy-tuh-vawr, -vohr]
noun
an organism that uses organic waste as a food source, as certain insects.
detritivore
An organism that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter, returning essential nutrients to the ecosystem. Detritivores include microorganisms such as bacteria and protists as well as larger organisms such as fungi, insects, worms, and isopod crustaceans. In a food chain, detritivores are primary consumers.
Other Word Forms
- detritivorous adjective
- detrivorous adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of detritivore1
Example Sentences
" we didn't know is what would happen following removal of detritivores -- or as we like to call them, the janitors of the system."
You can thank detritivores — organisms like earthworms, beetles and fungi that feed on dead and decomposing organic matter — for doing the heavy lifting out in the garden while you’re cozy indoors.
With the populations of detritivores regulated by salamanders, soils can be nourished by slowly decomposing leaves, making forests more resilient and slowing the release of carbon into the atmosphere.
Other types of insects include herbivores, detritivores, parasitoids and predators that are crucial to ecosystems humans rely on to survive, acting as pest controllers, recycling nutrients and performing other tasks.
All parts of the food chain were attracted to the reefs, including herbivores, detritivores, planktivores and predatory piscivores, the researchers found.
Advertisement
When To Use
A detritivore is an organism that eats dead or decaying plants or animals as food. Detritivores include microorganisms such as bacteria and larger organisms such as fungi, insects, worms, and some crustaceans.Detritivore is a combination of the word detritus and the suffix -vore. Detritus means waste or debris—in this case, dead plants and animals. The suffix -vore means “one that eats,” as seen in herbivore (plant eater) and carnivore (meat eater). So a detritivore eats dead plants and animals. Animals classified as scavengers also eat dead matter, but on a larger scale.Detritivores are an essential part of the food chain because they help to break down dead plant or animal matter. This returns essential nutrients to the ecosystem and helps to prevent a buildup of dead or rotting material that could spread disease and have other negative consequences.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse