Question: 118 Identify the correct statements :
A. Detrivores perform fragmentation.
B. The humus is further degraded by some microbes during mineralization.
C. Water soluble inorganic nutrients go down into the soil and get precipitated by a process called leaching.
D. The detritus food chain begins with living organisms.
E. Earthworms break down detritus into smaller particles by a process called catabolism.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
(1) C, D, E only
(2) D, E, A only
(3) A, B, C only
(4) B, C, D only
Answer: Option (3)
Explanation:
Detritivores such as earthworms feed on detritus and break it into smaller particles.
This physical breakdown of detritus is called fragmentation, so statement A is correct.
Humus is a dark, amorphous substance formed during decomposition. It is further degraded by
microorganisms, releasing inorganic nutrients through the process of mineralization.
Hence, statement B is correct.
Leaching refers to the process by which water-soluble inorganic nutrients are washed down into the deeper layers of soil by rainwater. Therefore, statement C is correct.
The detritus food chain begins with dead organic matter called detritus, not with living organisms, so statement D is incorrect.
Earthworms break down detritus mainly by fragmentation, which is a physical process, not catabolism. Hence, statement E is incorrect.
Therefore, the correct set of statements is A, B, and C, making Option (3) the correct answer.