As omnivorous scavengers, what additional food source do yabbies consume besides decaying plant matter?
Answer
Small invertebrates and detritus
Yabbies serve as nature's clean-up crew by operating primarily as omnivorous scavengers, which is a major factor in their ecological success across varied habitats. Their flexible menu includes not only decaying plant matter and algae but also detritus—the decomposed organic material found on the bottom substrate—as well as small invertebrates and aquatic insects. This omnivorous nature ensures they are not solely reliant on a single food source; they can successfully switch between consuming decaying vegetable protein and animal protein as circumstances dictate.

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