Do you think there is any such limitation in a detritus food chain

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Detritus Food Chain Detritus food chain is the type of food chain that starts with dead organic materials. The dead organic substances are decomposed by microorganisms. The organisms that feed on dead organic matter or detritus, are known as detritivores or decomposers. These detritivores are later eaten by predators. In the detritus food chain, the excreted products by one organism is utilized by another organism. Implications of Detritus Food Chain • Detritus food chain is not limited to single habitat, as it is found in several different locations like the bottom of lakes and oceans. These locations are too dark to carry the process of photosynthesis. Therefore, the ecosystems of the detritus food chain are rarely dependent on solar energy. • Detritus food chain has continuous energy flow compared to other food chains. For instance, in the grazing food chain, there is a distinct transfer of energy flow between different trophic levels. • Energy for this type of food chain is from the dead and decomposed matter known as detritus. • This type of food chain acquires energy from detritus, utilizing the detritus to its fullest, with minimum wastage. • The detritus food chain helps in solving inorganic nutrients. • Detritus food chain includes sub soil species that can be macroscopic or microscopic in nature. • Compared to other kinds of food chains, the detritus food chain has much larger energy flow in a terrestrial ecosystem. Examples of Detritus • Detritus food chain can ...

Detritus of whatever origin is degraded through leaching of water-soluble compounds of mostly low molecular mass, the action of microbial and fungal decomposers, and feeding by animals, named detritivores (mostly in aquatic ecology; Latin: detrí tus: scree, rock debris; vorá re: to gobble, to gulp), being detritivorous, or saprophages (mostly in terrestrial ecology; Greek: sapró s: rotten, foul; phageïn: to feed), being saprophagous. Besides the purely physical process of leaching, biochemical (degradation by microbes and digestion by detritivores) and biological processes (dislocation, fragmentation, and numerous animal–microbe interactions) play major roles in decomposing detritus ( Figure 2). Some authors consider leaching and microbial degradation of detrital compounds as decay and distinguish it from decomposition that in addition includes the action of detritivores. Nonetheless, the most widespread parameter that describes detrital mass loss over time is called decay rate: with M t, the mass of detritus at time t; M 0, the initial mass of detritus (at time 0); t, time (in days); k, the decay rate. Decay rates are usually expressed per day (d −1), but may also be given per year. Wood decay (see below) depends on the diameter of the twig, branch, or stem, and is usually measured by means of tissue toughness or density. Figure 2. Chemical fluxes between, and biotic interactions of, different compartments of the detrital subsystem in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. ...