Detritus food chains, Biology

Assignment Help:

Detritus Food Chains

Detritus food chains begin with dead organic matter which is an important source of energy. A large amount of organic matter is contributed by the death of plants, plant parts, animals and their excretion products. These types of food chains are present in all ecosystems but they are over dominating in forest ecosystems and shallow water communities. Various species of microscopic fungi, bacteria and other saprophytes play a prominent role in decomposing organic matter to obtain energy needed for their survival and growth. In this process they release various nutrients, locked in dead organic matter, which are used readily by the green plants. Detritus food chains are interconnected with grazing food chains and other auxiliary food chains through certain specific common organisms to permit crossing over of energy and material flow from one circuit to another.

For example, cattle do not assimilate all of the energy stored in plants, undigested residues in faeces become available for the decomposers and the detritivores. Detritus food chains are located mainly in the soil or in the segments of aquatic ecosystems. They form an essential component of natural ecosystems and are necessary for self-sustenance and for maintaining ecological balance. Detritus food chains can be of great practical value for modern man for sewage treatment and control of water pollution. Most of the natural ecosystems possess both grazing and detritus types of food chains. Their relative importance however, varies from one ecosystem to another. In terrestrial and shallow water ecosystems, detritus food chains dominate because a major proportion of the annual energy flow passes through this circuit. In case of tidal marshes, almost 90 per cent of the primary production is routed through the detritus food chains. In deep water aquatic systems rapid turnover of organisms and high rate of harvest are responsible for the dominance of grazing food chains.


Related Discussions:- Detritus food chains

Define the insulin resistance - obesity, Define the Insulin resistance - Ob...

Define the Insulin resistance - Obesity? Insulin resistance is a condition in which your body cells cannot utilize insulin efficiently although sufficient amounts are secreted

Explain the effect on vitamins of the human milk, Explain the effect on Vit...

Explain the effect on Vitamins of the human milk? Although there are inter-individual variations in vitamin concentrations, diet and drug use by individual women influences vit

Explain why exact replication of dna is necessary, Figure  shows part of a ...

Figure  shows part of a DNA molecule (a) (i) What do the dotted lines in Figure represent?  (ii) Name J to M. J.............................. K..............................

Determine some beneficial effects of phytates, Determine some Beneficial ef...

Determine some Beneficial effects of phytates? Some of the health promotive aspects of phytates include: 1) Phytic acid is a known antioxidant. Colonic bacteria produce oxyg

Describe ms murmur in diastolic murmurs briefly, Describe MS Murmur in Dias...

Describe MS Murmur in Diastolic Murmurs briefly? Characteristic: Low pitched, rumbling and diastolic murmur, loudest at apex with patient in left lateral decubitus, with pre

Define basic terminology in relation to nutritional needs, Define Basic Ter...

Define Basic Terminology in Relation to Nutritional Requirements? By now you would have a good understanding that nutrient requirements are affected by a number of factors and

FISHERIES, describe the endoskeleton of fish?

describe the endoskeleton of fish?

What is cloning, What is cloning? Cloning is the making of an organism ...

What is cloning? Cloning is the making of an organism genetically the same to another by means of genetic engineering. The basis of cloning is the nucleus transplantation ma

Phylum protoza, how these can be called as acellular?

how these can be called as acellular?

Respiratory chain to produce atp, Decreasing power is available in a cell b...

Decreasing power is available in a cell both as NADPH and NADH but these have quite distinct roles. NADH is oxidized by the respiratory chain to produce ATP by oxidative phosphoryl

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd