noun
- the mode of nutrition in which an organism obtains energy and nutrients by consuming organic compounds produced by other organisms, rather than synthesizing them from inorganic sources
Usage: biology term; contrasts with autotrophy
Examples
- Animals rely on heterotrophy because they cannot produce their own food from sunlight and minerals.
- Heterotrophy is the nutritional strategy used by all animals, fungi, and most bacteria.
- Unlike plants that use photosynthesis, humans depend entirely on heterotrophy for survival.
- The shift from autotrophy to heterotrophy marked a major evolutionary change in early organisms.
- Decomposers exhibit heterotrophy by breaking down dead organic matter for energy.