Question

The type of food chain in which organic matter decomposed is converted into energy rich compounds is called as

• A. Detritus food chain
• B. Grazing food chain
• C. Cybernatics
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is A Detritus food chain

Detritus is nonliving organic matter inhabited by decomposing organisms. Ecosystems that are dependent on detritus as an energy and food source are known as detritus-based ecosystems. Detritus is very important as the base of food chains and for cycling of nutrients. In forest environments, the detritus, made up of leaf litter and other organic matter, serves as an energy source for decomposers, herbivores, and carnivores; as much as ten times more energy may flow through the detritus food chain as opposed to the grazing chain or pathway. Detritus also serves as the energy source for benthic ecosystems, sustaining the benthic food chain. In terrestrial ecosystems, detritus typically includes the leaf litter and other organic matter intermixed with soil, here known as humus.

So, the correct answer is 'Detritus food chain'.