Autotrophs vs Heterotrophs Producers vs Consumers

An autotroph is an organism that can self feed.The word autotroph comes from the Greek autos self and trophe nourishing.

Autotrophs are the producers in a food web.

Some common examples would include….

Autotrophs produce their energy from the sun in a chemical process called photosynthesis

They take Carbon Dioxide plus water and sunlight and produce sugar and oxygen

Autotrophs form the base of the energy pyramid.

A heterotroph comes from the greek word meaning heteros = another, different and trophe = nutrition
Heterotroph get their energy by eating other plants and animals.

They use
Sugar + oxygen to produce carbon dioxide + water and energy in the form of ATP

C6H12O6 + 6 O2 yield 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Energy
This process is called cellular respiration

Some Heterotrophs that only eat plants, herbivores others eat only meat, carnivores others eat plants and animals omnivores while some heterotrophs feed on dead organic remains of other organisms decomposers
Updated Version:    • Autotrophs and Heterotrophs  
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