Question

The detritus food chain begins with:
A) Primary producers
B) Primary consumers
C) Secondary consumers
D) Dead organic matter

Answer 1

Detritus food chain is one type of Food chain. In the food chain transfer of energy takes place from one organism to another. Food chains always work in a straight line.

Complete Answer:
Food chain is further two varieties:

1. Grazing food chain: In this food chain green plants act as producers, this is the starting of the chain.
2. Detritus food chain: In this food chain dead organic matter is the starting of the chain.
   - Dead organic matters additionally known as detritus.
   - The initial step of the detritus food chain is the dead body of animals or fallen leaves from trees.
   - Then this dead material is eaten by decomposers e.g.: bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.
   - Organisms which eat dead material are also known as detritivores (detritus eating).
   - These detritivores act as primary consumers in the detritus food chain.
   - Then these detritivores are eaten by predators.
   - Main function of detritivores release the inorganic material into the ecosystem for balancing.

So, the correct answer is the detritus food chain begins with dead organic food material.

Note: Detritus food chain is short when we compare it with a grazing food chain.
- The Detritus food chain is also known as a predator food chain.
- The nutrients obtained from dead organic matter are called saprotrophic nutrients.