Download Feeding Relationships

Feeding Relationships
Autotrophs / Producers
• Make organic (carbon containing) compounds
from inorganic compounds “Fix carbon”
Carbon dioxide and water > Glucose, Proteins,
Fats
• Photoautotrophs – use light E
• Chemoautotrophs – use E derived from the
breakdown of chemicals
• Ex. Plants, Plant-like protists (Algae)
Heterotrophs / Consumers
• Organisms that get their E by consuming other
organisms or their products (nectar, fecal matter)
• CANNOT make their own organic molecules from
inorganic molecules
• Ex. All animals, fungi, most bacteria, some
protists, a handful plants
Types of Heterotrophs
•Herbivores
•Carnivores
•Decomposers
•Mycoheterotrophs
1. Herbivores/Primary Consumers
• Eat plant matter
2. Carnivores/Secondary Consumer
• Eat animals
• Predators – eat live prey
• Scavengers – eat dead meat “big food”
• Specialties:
Insectivores – eat just insects (anteater)
Nectavores – eat nectar (Hummingbirds)
3. Omnivore
• Eat both plant and animal matter
Ex. Bears, fox, raccoons, pigs, chimps
4. Decomposers
• Detritovore – eat detritus (decomposing plant
and animal matter and feces) “Chunky”
• Ex’s millipedes, dung flies, slugs, insects
4. Decomposers
• Saprotrophs – Extracellular digestion of dead or
decaying matter into its composite molecules (“
nutrient recyclers”)
• Proteins >
Lipids >
Starches >
• Ex. Fungi and Bacteria
5. Mycoheterotrophs (Saprophytes)
• Non photosynthetic plants that are parasites
on fungus