A
Heterotroph (
Greek ?te??? heteros = another and
t??f? trophe = nutrition) is an
organism that uses
organic carbon for growth.
[1] This contrasts with
autotrophs, such as
plants, which are able to directly use sources of energy, such as
light to produce organic substrates from inorganic
carbon dioxide.
Heterotrophs are known as consumers in food chains and obtain organic carbon by eating other heterotrophs or autotrophs. They break down complex organic compounds that are produced by autotrophs.
All animals are heterotrophic, as well as fungi and many bacteria. Some animals, such as corals, form symbiotic relationships with autotrophs and obtain organic carbon in this way. Furthermore, some parasitic plants have also turned fully or partially heterotrophic, while so-called carnivorous plants consume animals to augment their nitrogen supply but are still autotrophic.
Two types of heterotroph are distinguished
