detritivores
Dead matter consumers
Detritivores are organisms that feed on dead organic matter—fallen leaves, decaying wood, animal remains, feces.
Earthworms, dung beetles, and millipedes are classic examples.
The term appears in ecology and biology to distinguish these recyclers from predators and herbivores.
Detritivores break down waste material, returning nutrients to the soil.
Soil-dwelling segmented invertebrates
- millipedesSegmented many-legged arthropods
- woodliceSmall terrestrial isopods
- dung beetlesInsects that process excrement
- maggotsLarval flies
springtails · isopods · nematodes · sea cucumbers · fiddler crabs · hermit crabs · lugworms · amphipods
Formerly living, now decaying
- fallen leavesDropped deciduous foliage
- fecesSolid digestive waste
- carrionPutrefying animal remains
- dungAnimal fecal matter
humus · shed skin · feathers · bone fragments
Decomposing ground debris
- forest floorGround beneath trees
- compost heapDecomposing organic material stack
- ocean floorUnderwater continental surface
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
rotting logs · mangrove roots · tide pools · mulch beds · peat bogs · riverbed · seagrass beds · kelp forests
Interconnected predator-prey relationships
- carbon cycleBiogeochemical element circulation process
- nitrogen cycleBiogeochemical element circulation
- decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts
- energy flowMovement of power through systems
ecological niche · biodegradation · mineralization · soil formation
earthworms
Soil-dwelling segmented invertebrates
- millipedesSegmented many-legged arthropods
- woodliceSmall terrestrial isopods
- dung beetlesInsects that process excrement
maggots · springtails · isopods · nematodes · sea cucumbers · fiddler crabs · hermit crabs · lugworms · amphipods · fly larvae
dead organic matter
Formerly living, now decaying
- fallen leavesDropped deciduous foliage
- fecesSolid digestive waste
- carrionPutrefying animal remains
dung · humus · shed skin · feathers · bone fragments
leaf litter
Decomposing ground debris
- forest floorGround beneath trees
- compost heapDecomposing organic material stack
- ocean floorUnderwater continental surface
sediment · rotting logs · mangrove roots · tide pools · mulch beds · peat bogs · riverbed · seagrass beds · kelp forests · wetlands
food web
Interconnected predator-prey relationships
- carbon cycleBiogeochemical element circulation process
- nitrogen cycleBiogeochemical element circulation
- decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts
energy flow · ecological niche · biodegradation · mineralization · soil formation
detritivorespredators
Animals that kill prey
hunters · apex predators · carnivores · herbivores · grazers
detritivoresproducers
Those who create goods
autotrophs · photosynthesizers · plants · phytoplankton · apex predators