Heterotrophs are organisms that consume other organisms in order to gain nutrients. Compare heterotrophs that eat autotrophs to heterotrophs that eat other heterotrophs in terms of how they obtain nutrients. Explain your answer in one to two sentences.(2 points)

Answer 1

Heterotrophs that eat autotrophs, such as herbivores, obtain nutrients by directly consuming plants or other primary producers that convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. In contrast, heterotrophs that eat other heterotrophs, such as carnivores, derive nutrients by breaking down the tissues of organisms that have already consumed either autotrophs or other heterotrophs, thus participating in a more complex food web.

Answer 2

Heterotrophs that eat autotrophs (like herbivores eating plants) obtain nutrients directly from organisms that produced their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, while heterotrophs that eat other heterotrophs (like carnivores eating herbivores) obtain nutrients that have been processed and concentrated through multiple levels of consumption, though some energy is lost at each transfer. This means herbivores generally need to consume more plant material to meet their energy needs compared to carnivores consuming an equivalent amount of animal tissue, since plant material contains more indigestible components like cellulose.