Feces serve not only as a basic food, but also as a supplement to the usual diet of some animals. Some may specialize in feces, while others may eat other foods. Many organisms feed on feces, from bacteria to fungi to insects such as dung beetles, who can sense odors from long distances. This means that of all food eaten, a significant amount of energy remains for the decomposers of ecosystems. Although it is lower in energy than the food from which it is derived, feces may retain a large amount of energy, often 50% of that of the original food. EcologyĪfter an animal has digested eaten material, the remains of that material are discharged from its body as waste. The forces required to expel the feces are generated through muscular contractions and a build-up of gases inside the gut, prompting the sphincter to relieve the pressure and to release the feces. This process requires pressures that may reach 100 millimetres of mercury (3.9 inHg) (13.3 kPa) in humans and 450 millimetres of mercury (18 inHg) (60 kPa) in penguins.
Feces are discharged through the anus or cloaca during defecation.
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