What is heterotrophic nutrition?

Heterotrophic Nutrition

Heterotrophic nutrition is a mode of nutrition where organisms obtain their food from other organic sources. Unlike autotrophs, heterotrophs cannot synthesize their own food from inorganic substances. They rely on consuming pre-existing organic matter, either from living or dead organisms.

There are various types of heterotrophic nutrition:

• Holozoic Nutrition: Involves ingesting solid or liquid organic matter. This is common in animals and includes processes like ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation, and egestion. Examples include carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores. See: Holozoic%20Nutrition

• Saprotrophic Nutrition: Organisms obtain nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter. They secrete digestive enzymes onto the dead material and then absorb the digested products. Fungi and many bacteria are saprotrophs. See: Saprotrophic%20Nutrition

• Parasitic Nutrition: Organisms derive nutrients from another living organism (the host), causing harm to the host. Parasites can be endoparasites (living inside the host) or ectoparasites (living on the surface of the host). Examples include tapeworms, fleas, and ticks. See: Parasitic%20Nutrition

Key characteristics of heterotrophic nutrition:

• Dependence on external sources of organic compounds.
• Digestion of complex organic matter into simpler forms for absorption (except in some parasitic forms).
• Diverse feeding strategies based on the type of food source.