detritivore

American  

[dih-trahy-tuh-vawr, -vohr] / dɪˈtraɪ təˌvɔr, -ˌvoʊr /

noun

Ecology.

1. an organism that uses organic waste as a food source, as certain insects.

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detritivore Scientific  

/ dĭ-trī′tə-vôr′ /

1. 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.

2. Compare carnivore herbivore

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Usage

What is a detritivore? 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.

Other Word Forms

• detritivorous adjective
• detrivorous adjective

Etymology

Origin of detritivore

First recorded in 1975–80; detrit(us) + -i- + -vore

Compare meaning

How does detritivore compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• detritivore vs. decomposer

Example Sentences

"What we didn't know is what would happen following removal of detritivores -- or as we like to call them, the janitors of the system."

From Science Daily

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.

From Seattle Times

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.

From New York Times

Alongside these measures, scientists must urgently establish which herbivores, detritivores, parasitoids, predators and pollinators are priority species for conservation, according to a new paper published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

From The Guardian

All parts of the food chain were attracted to the reefs, including herbivores, detritivores, planktivores and predatory piscivores, the researchers found.

From Fox News