Question

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, known as primary consumers, obtain nutrients by consuming organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, relying on the stored energy from these autotrophs. In contrast, heterotrophs that eat other heterotrophs, or secondary and tertiary consumers, derive their nutrients by consuming organisms that have already processed and utilized the energy from autotrophs, making their nutrient acquisition dependent on the energy transfer through multiple trophic levels.