detritusbased

Detritusbased refers to ecological communities or food webs in which detritus, meaning dead organic matter such as leaf litter, fallen bodies, and particulate organic material, serves as the primary source of energy and organic carbon. In detritusbased systems, energy flows from detritus through decomposers and detritivores rather than predominantly from living producers.

In these systems, energy enters via detritus produced by plants, animals, and microbial matter. Decomposers, including bacteria and fungi, break down detritus and recycle nutrients, while detritivores such as earthworms, nematodes, and various invertebrates feed on detritus and microbial biomass. Predators then feed on detritivores and other consumers, creating potentially long and interconnected trophic networks. The microbial loop plays a central role by transforming organic matter into forms usable by higher trophic levels.

Detritusbased communities are common in environments where light limiting factors reduce photosynthetic input or where inputs of organic matter are substantial. Examples include forest floors, many freshwater streams and wetlands, estuaries, and certain benthic zones in marine ecosystems. These systems often maintain large standing stocks of detritus and rely on microbial processes to drive nutrient cycling, supporting diverse decomposer communities and a range of invertebrates.

Compared with grazing-based (algae- or plant-dominated) webs, detritusbased networks emphasize microbial mediation and decomposition. They can be relatively resilient to short-term fluctuations in primary production and light but may be sensitive to declines in detritus input or disruptions to decomposer communities, with implications for nutrient cycling and higher trophic levels.