Information AboutHeterotroph |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT HETEROTROPH | |
| trophic dynamics | |
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A heterotroph ( Greek '''''heterone''''' = (an)other and '''''trophe''''' = nutrition) is an Organism that requires Organic substrates to get its carbon for growth and development. A heterotroph is known as a '''consumer''' in the food chain. Contrast with Autotroph s which use inorganic Carbon Dioxide or Bicarbonate as sole carbon source. All Animal s are heterotrophic, as well as Fungi and many Bacteria . Some Parasitic plants have also turned fully or partially heterotrophic, whereas Carnivorous Plants use their flesh diet to augment their nitrogen supply, but are still autotrophic. Heterotrophs are unable to synthesize organic, Carbon based compounds independently from the inorganic environment's sources (e.g. Animal ia, unlike Plant ae, cannot Photosynthesize ) and therefore must obtain their nutrition from another heterotroph or an Autotroph . For a Species to be termed a heterotroph, it must obtain its carbon from Organic Compound s. If it obtains Nitrogen from Organic Compounds , but not Energy , it will be deemed an Autotroph . If a Species obtains Carbon from Organic Compound s then there are two possible subtypes of these heterotrophs:
In simpler terminology, a heterotroph is an organism that is incapable of making its own food from light or Inorganic Compound s, and feeds on organisms or the remains of other organisms to get its necessary energy to survive. SEE ALSO |
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