Question

Are Saprotrophs Detritivores?

Answer 1

Hint: Saprotrophs are organisms involved in the processing of decayed natural matter or live on nonliving organic matter. Bacteria, fungi and fungus-like organisms are saprotrophs. Detritivores are the animals which feed on detritus. For example- earthworm and other soil animals.

Complete answer:
Saprotrophs involve chemotrophic extracellular digestion for the processing of decaying organic matter. Saprotrophic organisms are essential as they decompose organic matter and vitamins cycling. Detritivores are a kind of decomposers. They orally take in the solid organic matter. The digestion takes place inside the organism.

- Saprotrophs are no longer the same and similar as detritivores.
- While each group of organisms consume detritus or the dead and decaying matter, saprotrophs do so via bringing about extracellular digestion and then absorbing the less difficult compounds directly. Detritivores on the other hand ingest the useless or decaying matter and attain the nutrients from them by using digesting them internally.
- Saprophytes include microorganisms and fungi, whereas detritivores encompass few animals like snail, earthworms.

So, Saprotrophs are not considered as detritivores.

Note: The saprophytes feed through a method known as absorptive nutrition. The nutritional substrate such as a lifeless organism or different non- residing organic matter is digested by means of a range of enzymes that are excreted through the saprotroph. These enzymes and digestive juices are secreted into the surroundings which digests the food externally and is later absorbed by the organism. The enzymes convert the detritus into less complicated molecules that are easily absorbable via the cells to feed the organism.