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Cummins, K. and M. Klug. 1979. Feeding Ecology of Stream Invertebrates. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 10: 147-172
Heard, S.. 1994. Pitcher-plant midges and mosquitoes: a processing chain commensalism. Ecology 75: 1647-1660.
Heinrich, B. and G. Bartholomew. 1979 Nov. The ecology of the African dung beetle. Sci. Am. 241(5): 146
Hohn, F. and J. Wagner. 2000. Larval substrates of Herminiine Noctuids...macrodecomposers of temperate leaf litter. Environ Entomol 29: 207-212.
Lenczewski, B. 1987. Natural history, colonization, and survival in a northern fungus-gardening ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis (Attini). Thesis, Florida State Univ.
Martin, M. and J. Martin. 1978. Cellulose digestion in the midgut of the fungus-growing termite…: The role of acquired digestive enzymes. Science 199: 1453-1455.
Merritt, Richard W. & J. Bruce Wallace. 1981. Filter-feeding insects. Scientific American. 244 (4): 132
Milne, L. and M. Milne. 1976 Aug. The social behavior of burying beetles. Sci. Am. 235(2): 84
Paquin, P. and D. Coderre. 1996. Sampling technique for soil macroarthropods inhabiting forest floors. Entomological News 107: 165-172.
Ribera, I. et al. 1999. Morphological diversity of ground beetles.... J Zool Lond 247: 1-18.
Snider, R. and R. Snider. 1997. Efficiency of arthropod extraction from soil cores. Entomological News 108: 203-208.
Tauber, M. et al. 1998. Moisture...in the seasonal ecology of insects.... Environ Entomol 27: 523-530.
Zimmerman, P. et al. 1982. Termites: a potentially large source of atmospheric methane.... Science 218: 563-565.
Most net primary productivity in terrestrial ecosystems is ultimately consumed via the detritus foodweb
Microbes and fungi are the primary consumers of plant detritus (leaves, flowers, fruits, stems, roots)
Animals graze on these and on the products they produce
Particles are crushed and further colonized by fresh microbial flora
The animals are in turn preyed on by others
Animal detritus (dung, excreta, carrion) also important
Plant debris
Leaves
Wood
Fruit
Fungi
Dung
Animal hair, skin, feathers, etc.
Carrion
Particulate organic matter in water
fungus gardens of ants, eg. Trachymyrmex septentrionalis
so-called "compost-flies" (mainly acalypterate muscoid diptera)
caterpillars of several groups of noctuid moths
8 genera studied (Hohn and Wagner 2000) including Idia, Renia, Zanclognatha
most can develop on air dried white oak leaves
larvae skeletonize leaves
experiments suggest they may not depend on epiphytic bacteria and fungi (Hohn and Wagner 2000)
termites use symbiotic bacteria or protozoans may process 28% of terrestrial net production (see Zimmerman et al. 1982) Macrotermes are fungus gardeners in elaborates mound nests.
bark beetles assisted by fungi to attack live wood
sawflies, like the Alder Woodwasp from the film, Insect Parasitism
Drosophila - yeasts a major source of nutrition
Diptera: Mycetophilidae and Sciaridae, can be pests of mushrooms
numerous groups of fungus beetles
Scarabeidae (some subfamilies) provision nest with ball of dung
Muscoid flies, eg.Musca domestica
Siphonaptera (flea larvae)
Mallophaga
some Diptera associated with bats
clothes moths
skin beetles - Dermestidae
dust mites
Phoridae (coffin-flies)
Dermestidae (skin beetles) pests in museums
Sarcophagidae, Calliphoridae (Muscoidea, blow-flies)
Shredders - ingest coarse debris
Plecoptera
Trichoptera
Tipulidae - crane flies
Collectors
Chironomidae (midges, Diptera) often very abundant in polluted waters
Simulidae (blackflies)
Ephemeroptera
Trichoptera (net spinning)