AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The most important role of detritivores in ecosystems is to a prevent the buildup of the organic remains of organisms, feces and SO on b provide a nutritional resource for heterotrophs. recycle chemical nutrients to a form capable of being used by autotrophs return energy lost to the ecosystem by other organisms.

Detailed explanation-2: -Detritivores play an important role as recyclers in the ecosystem’s energy flow and biogeochemical cycles. Especially in the role of recycling nutrients back into the soil.

Detailed explanation-3: -Detritivores and decomposers contribute to the breakdown of all of the dead and decaying material in any ecosystem. In this way they play an important role in the cycling of nutrients and are an essential part of most biogeochemical cycles, such as the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle and the phosphorus cycle.

Detailed explanation-4: -By way of decomposition, detritivores are able to “unlock” nutrients held within detritus. They can then transport the nutrients into the various stores of nutrients in the soil system, even having indirect effects on plant uptake and the erosion or leaching of nutrients, as seen in Figure 1.