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Detritus
Detritus
may refer to:
In
geology
,
detritus
is the name for loose fragments of rock that have been worn away by
erosion
.
In
biology
,
detritus
is
organic
waste
material from decomposing dead
plants
or
animals
. This detritus is an important source of
nutrients
for so-called "
detritus feeders
" or
detritovores
. These form, in many
ecosystems
, the base of the
food chain
. What is left behind by the detrivores is then further broken down and recycled by
decomposers
, such as
bacteria
and
fungi
.
Detritus
is a character in the
Discworld
novels of
Terry Pratchett
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