primary nutritional group
group of organisms, divided in relation to the nutrition mode according to the sources of energy and carbon, needed for living, growth and reproduction
heterotroph
organism that ingests or absorbs organic carbon (rather than fix carbon from inorganic sources such as carbon dioxide) in order to be able to produce energy
chemotroph
organisms that obtain energy by the oxidation of electron donors in their environments
holozoic nutrition
primary nutritional group
autotroph
organism that produces complex organic compounds (such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) from simple substances present in its surroundings, generally using energy from light (photosynthesis) or inorganic chemical reactions (chemosynthesis)
phototroph
organism using energy from light in metabolic processes