Life there is sustained by the intermittent rain of dead organic matter from the surface waters. (discovermagazine.com)
They thrive on dead organic matter such as old plant remains, which they eat, chew and mix with soil before they excrete it. (sciencedaily.com)
The terrestrial biosphere reservoir contains carbon in organic compounds in vegetation (living biomass)(450 to 650 PgC) and in dead organic matter in litter and soils (1500 to 2400 PgC). (metlink.org)