Autotrophs and heterotrophs

Question 1

what are autotrophs? What do they do? What are the two groups?

Answer 1

Self feeders
Make their own organic compounds
Use energy and inorganic compounds such as carbon dioxide and water to synthesise organic compounds
This is called carbon fixation because the autotroph fixes the inorganic carbon into organic molecules
Two groups are: photosynthetic autotrophs and chemosynthetic autotrophs

Question 2

what are photosynthetic autotrophs? what do they do? What do this?

Answer 2

Obtain energy for carbon fixation from light energy
They combine carbon dioxide and water using light energy to produce organic compounds in photosynthesis
They produce glucose
Plants and some protists do this

Question 3

What are chemoautotrophs? how do they obtain energy? What organisms are they? Where do they live?

Answer 3

Obtain energy for carbon fixation through inorganic chemical reactions
All are prokaryotes
Some obtain energy through the oxidation of inorganic molecules such as nitrite ions to nitrate ions, ammonium ions to nitrite ions, sulphide ions to sulphate ions
Can live in extreme environments where these ions are found

Question 4

what are heterotrophs? how do they source their own food? what are they?

Answer 4

Unable to make their own food
Obtain organic compounds by consuming organisms or their products
All depend directly or indirectly on autotrophs for nutrients and energy
All animals and fungi are heterotrophs and so are some bacteria and many protists

Question 5

what are omnivorous heterotrophs?

Answer 5

Eat plants and animals

Question 6

what are carnivores?

Answer 6

eat animals

Question 7

what are herbivores?

Answer 7

eat plants

Question 8

what are chemoheterotrophs?

Answer 8

Most heterotrophs are this
Obtain energy from organic compounds by cellular respiration
animals, protists, fungi and most heterotrophic bacteria are this

Question 9

what are photoheterotrophs?

Answer 9

Use solar energy rather than organic compounds as a source of energy
Cannot fix carbon from CO2 into organic compounds such as glucose
Use organic compounds from other organisms as their carbon source for growth and renewal but not for energy
Green and purple non-sulfur bacteria and heliobacteria are this

Question 10

what are saprotrophic heterotrophs?

Answer 10

Most fungi and bacteria
Eat by digesting organic matter by extracellular means
Secrete enzymes onto dead or decaying organic materials such as carcasses and rotting fruit
Enzymes break it down into large molecules
The organisms absorb these organic molecules through endocytosis
An essential process of recycling and decomposing

Question 11

what are parasites?

Answer 11

Parasitic heterotrophs
Get energy and nutrients directly from other living organisms
Feed on cell contents, tissues and body fluids of host
Host is usually harmed or killed
Parasites are found in all five kingdoms
Inside host: endoparasites eg. Tapeworms
Outside host: ectoparasites eg. Ticks