Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot produce their own food and must obtain energy by consuming other organisms. They rely on autotrophs directly or indirectly for their energy needs.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Heterotrophs include animals, fungi, and most bacteria.
They play a crucial role in the food chain as consumers.
In contrast to autotrophs, heterotrophs do not perform photosynthesis.
Heterotrophic organisms can be classified into different types such as herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers.
They depend on organic carbon sources for growth and energy.
Review Questions
Related terms
Autotrophs: Organisms that produce their own food using sunlight or chemical energy.
Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.
Food Chain: A series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food, illustrating the flow of energy through an ecosystem.