Heterotrophic Nutrition


What is Heterotrophic nutrition?

The nutrition in which organisms cannot produce their own food and derive nutrition from other organisms is called heterotrophic nutrition.

What are Heterotrophic organisms?

The organisms that cannot produce their own food are called Heterotrophic organisms.

What are the different types of heterotrophic organisms?

There are two major types of heterotrophic organisms based on their food source:

  • Herbivores – The organisms that eat and derive all their nutrition from plants are called herbivores.
  • Carnivores – The organisms that eat other animals for their nutrition are called carnivores.

What are the Different types of heterotrophic nutrition?

There are three types of heterotrophic nutrition based on the pattern of nutrition consumption: saprophytic nutrition, holozoic nutrition, and parasitic nutrition.

What is Saprophytic nutrition?

Nutrition in which organisms breakdown the food outside the body, and directly absorb the nutrients is known as saprophytic nutrition.

For example, Fungi.

What is Holozoic nutrition?

Nutrition in which organisms breakdown the food inside the body, and then the nutrients are absorbed is known as holozoic nutrition.

For example, humans.

What is Parasitic nutrition?

Nutrition in which organisms do not kill the host, instead they derive nutrition from the organisms that are alive is known as parasitic nutrition.

For example, leeches.