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How to distinguish between Autotrophic and Heterotrophic Nutrition?
Autotrophic Nutrition
Autotrophic nutrition is the mode of nutrition where the organisms produce their own food by the process of photosynthesis and autotrophs are the organisms performing autotrophic nutrition.
The term “autotroph” is taken from the root words “auto” for “self” and “troph” for “food” or ‘nourishment’.
Autotrophs are divided into two parts:
1. Photoautotrophs- the word has three parts: photo- light, auto-self, trophs- nourishment refers to those
organisms that get the energy to make organic materials from sunlight.
Examples of photoautotrophs include all plants, green algae, and bacteria that perform photosynthesis.
2. Chemoautotrophs- the word has three parts chemo-chemical, auto-self, trophs-nourishment refers to those organisms that obtain energy from inorganic chemical processes.
Examples of chemoautotrophs include Cyanobacteria, Seaweed, Phytoplankton.
Heterotrophic Nutrition
Heterotrophic nutrition is the type of nutrition in which organisms depend upon other organisms for food to survive.
Organisms depending on plants and other animals for nutritional requirements are known as heterotrophs.
For example, humans, animals, birds, etc.
Heterotrophs can be further classified into three different types based on their modes of nutrition.
1. Holozoic nutrition- In holozoic nutrition, organisms feed by ingesting solid material, and later digesting them in the digestive tract.
Examples include- humans, animals, insectivorous plants.
2. Saprophytic nutrition- In this, the organisms feed on dead and decaying matter. For Example, bacteria, and fungi digest the food externally and then absorb the nutrients.
3. Parasitism- This type of nutrition is seen in parasites. As parasites live on or inside a living host, they absorb food and other nutritional requirements from the host. Examples, lice, tapeworms, etc.
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