Characteristics of Detritus Food Chain

a) Primary source of energy is dead organic matter called 'detritus' which are fallen leaves, plant parts or dead animal bodies.

b) Primary consumers are 'detritivores' including protozoans, bacteria, fungi, etc which feed upon the detritus saprophytically.

c) Detritivores are inturn eaten by secondary consumers such as insect larvae, nematodes, etc.

d) Detritus food chains are generally shorter than grazing food chains

e) In nature, detritus food chains are indispensable as the dead organic matter of grazing food chain is acted upon by the detritivores to recycle the inorganic elements into the ecosystem.

Detritus food chain

Detritus	Detritivores	Detritivores Consumers	Small Carnivores	Large Carnivores
Mangrove Follen Leaves and Dead Bodies	Fungi,Bacteria and Protozoans	Insect Larvae,Certain Crustaceans,Molluscs and Fishes	Minnows Small game fish etc.	Large Fish,Fish eating Birds

Differences between Grazing and Detritus food Chains

Characters	Grazing food chain	Detritus food chain
Primary source of energy	Solar radiations	Detritus
First trophic level	All herbivores	Detritivores (a mixed group in terms of trophic levels and may be herbivores, omnivores and primary carnivores)
Size	Long-sized chains	Small-sized chains