Detritivores are best described as which of the following?

• A. Feed on plant and animal remains.
• B. Feed on live plants only.
• C. Break down wastes into nutrients.
• D. Photosynthesize to gain energy.

Answer: (A)

Detritivores are organisms that feed on detritus, the dead plant and animal matter left in habitats—things like fallen leaves, decaying branches, and animal remains. By eating this material, they physically break it down and digest it, helping recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem and speeding up decomposition. That’s why describing them as feeding on plant and animal remains fits best.

The other ideas describe different roles: feeding only on live plants would be herbivory, not detritivory; breaking down wastes into nutrients describes decomposers like bacteria and fungi that chemically digest matter; and photosynthesis is done by producers, not detritivores.