heterotrophic
Eats other organisms
Heterotrophic describes organisms that cannot produce their own food and must obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms or organic matter.
Animals, fungi, and most bacteria are heterotrophic, unlike plants and algae, which are autotrophic—capable of synthesizing food from sunlight or chemical reactions.
Heterotrophic bacteria break down dead organic material in soil.
Organism breaking down corpses
- detritivoreEats dead organic material
- saprophyteOrganism feeding on decay
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- mineralizationConversion to mineral form
organic matter · decay · humus
Interconnected predator-prey relationships
- energy flowMovement of power through systems
- consumerOne who acquires goods
- apex predatorUnpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- predationHunting and consuming prey
One benefits, one suffers
- commensalismNeutral host, benefiting guest
- mutualismTwo-way biological benefit
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
- endoparasiteParasite living inside host
ectoparasite · host · pathogen · obligate · facultative
Exploiting a host organism
- ingestionConsuming into the body
- digestionBodily food breakdown
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
Spore-reproducing decomposers
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- protozoaSingle-celled eukaryotic organisms
- animalsMulticellular mobile organisms
- zooplanktonDrifting aquatic microorganisms
parasites · decomposers · detritivores · scavengers · carnivores · herbivores · omnivores · invertebrates
Gas exchange in organisms
- glycolysisGlucose metabolism producing ATP
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- catabolismMetabolic molecular dismantling
- cellular respirationCell-level fuel burning
decomposer
Organism breaking down corpses
- detritivoreEats dead organic material
- saprophyteOrganism feeding on decay
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
food web
Interconnected predator-prey relationships
- energy flowMovement of power through systems
- consumerOne who acquires goods
- apex predatorUnpreyed-upon dominant hunter
predation · herbivory · carnivory · omnivory · decomposition
parasitism
One benefits, one suffers
- commensalismNeutral host, benefiting guest
- mutualismTwo-way biological benefit
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
endoparasite · ectoparasite · host · pathogen · obligate · facultative
parasitic
Exploiting a host organism
- ingestionConsuming into the body
- digestionBodily food breakdown
- absorptionProcess of taking in
assimilation · metabolism · carnivorous · herbivorous · omnivorous
fungi
Spore-reproducing decomposers
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- protozoaSingle-celled eukaryotic organisms
- animalsMulticellular mobile organisms
zooplankton · parasites · decomposers · detritivores · scavengers · carnivores · herbivores · omnivores · invertebrates · vertebrates
respiration
Gas exchange in organisms
- glycolysisGlucose metabolism producing ATP
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- catabolismMetabolic molecular dismantling
cellular respiration · anaerobic · aerobic · energy extraction