What is detritus?

• A. Detritus
• B. Producers
• C. Autotrophs
• D. Omnivore

Answer: (A)

Detritus is non-living organic matter in an ecosystem. It consists of dead material and waste products—things like decaying leaves, fallen wood, feces, and the remains of organisms. This material fuels the detrital food web through decomposers (bacteria and fungi) and detritivores (earthworms, certain insects) that break it down and recycle nutrients back into the environment. Producers and autotrophs, by contrast, are living organisms that synthesize organic matter, usually via photosynthesis. An omnivore is an organism that eats both plants and animals. So detritus is specifically the non-living organic material available for decomposition, not a living organism or a consumer.