4.1 Heterotrophs

what are heterotrophs

an organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients (to obtain organic molecules)

types of heterotrophs

* consumers
* saprotroph
* detritivores
* scavengers

what is a consumer

heterotrophs that feed on living organisms by ingestion

* herbivores (plant;cow, sheep)
* carnivores (animal; wolves, tigers)
* omnivores (both; pandas, humans)

what is a scavenger

type of consumer that principally feed on dead and decaying carcasses rather than hunting live prey

* hyenas, vultures, carrions birds (crows)

what is a detritivore

type of heterotroph that obtains nutrients from non-living organic sources, such as detritus and humus

* snail, millipede, crab

what is detritus

dead, particulate organic matter – such as decaying organic material and faecal matter

what is humus

term given specifically to the decaying leaf litter intermixed within the topsoil

what is a saprotroph

* heterotrophs that obtain organic nutrients from dead organisms by external digestion
* live on (or in) non-living organic matter, secrete digestive enzymes into it and absorb the products of digestion
* bacteria, fungi

why are saprotrophs unlike other heterotrophs

do not ingest food but use enzymatic secretion to facilitate external digestion

what are saprotrophs commonly referred to as and why

they are commonly referred to as *decomposers*

because they facilitate the breakdown of dead organic material

what are heterotrophs commonly referred to as

consumer