Autotrophs
- What is it?: Autotrophs are organisms that can produce their own food using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and other chemicals. Since they can produce their food they are also known as primary producers.
- Origin of Term: The word autotrophs are derived from the Greek word ‘auto’ which means ‘self’ and ‘troph’, meaning ‘feeding’. Plants are a best example of autotrophs.
Heterotrophs
- Origin of Term: The term is derived from the Greek word ‘hetero’ for ‘other’ and ‘troph’ for ‘nourishment’.
- What is it?
- Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot make their food and thus, eat other organisms both plants and animals to gain nutrition.
- Heterotrophs are commonly referred to as consumers since they consume other producers or other consumers. Humans, fish and dogs are examples of heterotrophs.
- Classification
- Herbivores: – These animals get nutrition by only eating plants. Examples of herbivorous animals are cows and buffalos.
- Carnivorous: – Carnivorous animals mostly eat meat or the flesh of animals. This is the reason why they are known as predators. Bears, lions, and tigers are good examples of carnivorous organisms.
- Omnivorous: – Animals that get nutrition by eating both plants and animals are known as omnivorous. Humans, dogs, and birds are omnivorous.
- Decomposers: – Decomposers are the animals that feed on dead and decay matters such as leaf litter, wood, animal carcasses and much more. Worms, insects, fungi, bacteria are some examples of decomposers.
