Aut

otrophsandhet
erot
rophsar
etwopr
imar
ycat
egor
iesofor
gani
smsbas
edonhowt
hey
obt
ainthei
rener
gyandnutri
ent
s:

1.Aut
otr
ophs
:

-Definit
ion:Aut
otrophsar
eor gani
smst
hatcanproducethei
rownfoodusi
nginor
gani
c
substancesandenergysourc
ess uc
hassunl
i
ght.Theyaresel
f-s
ust
aini
nganddonotrel
yon
otherorganismsfornut
ri
ti
on.

-Ex
ampl
es:Pl
ant
s,al
gae,ands
omebac
ter
iaar
eex
ampl
esofaut
otr
ophs
.

-Pr
ocess
:Autotr
ophspri
mar
il
yusephot
osynthesi
sorchemosynthesi
stoconver
tener
gy
f
rom s
unl
ightori
norgani
cmol
ecul
esi
ntoorganiccompoundsli
keglucose.

-Role:Aut
otr
ophsf
ormthebas
eofthef
oodchai
nbypr oduc
ingf
oodthatheterot
rophs
cons
ume.Theyarecr
uci
alf
orecos
yst
emsast
heyprovi
deenergyf
oral
lotherorganis
ms.

2.Het
erot
rophs
:

-Defi
nit
ion:Heter
otr
ophsar
eor
gani
smsthatc
annotpr
oducet
hei
rownf
oodandmus
t
obt
ainnutri
entsandener
gybyc
onsumi
ngotheror
gani
sms.

-Ex
ampl
es:Ani
mal
s,f
ungi
,andmos
tbac
ter
iaar
eex
ampl
esofhet
erot
rophs
.

-Feedi
ngMet
hods
:Het
erot
rophsc
anbef
urt
herc
las
sif
iedbas
edont
hei
rfeedi
ngmet
hods
:

-Her
bivor
es:Feedonpl
ant
s.

-Car
nivor
es:Feedonot
herani
mal
s.

-Omni
vor
es:Feedonbot
hpl
ant
sandani
mal
s.

-Det
ri
ti
vor
es:Feedondeador
gani
cmat
ter
.

-Rol
e:Het
erotr
ophsplayacruc
ialrolei
nconsumi
ngautot
rophsandot
herhet
erot
rophs
,
t
husmaint
aini
ngthebalanc
eofec osyst
emsandrecyc
li
ngnutr
ient
s.

3.Rel
ationshi
p:Autot
rophsandhet
erot
rophsar eint
erdependenti necosyst
ems.Autotrophs
provi
det heorgani
ccompoundsandoxygent hatheter
otrophsneedf orsurvi
val
,while
heter
otrophsconsumeautotr
ophst
oobt ainenergyandnut ri
ents.Thi
sinter
connect
ednes s
ensuresthefl
owofenergyandnutri
ent
st hroughthefoodc hain.
Underst
andingthedis
tinc
tionbetweenaut
otr
ophsandheterotr
ophsisess
enti
alfor
comprehendingthedi
versi
tyofli
fefor
msandtheint
ri
cat
er el
ati
onshi
psthatexi
stwithi
n
ecos
ystems.