There are two processes by which organisms obtain nutrition. One is the autotrophic nutrition and the other is heterotrophic nutrition. The main distinction is based on what type of substances( simple non-living substances or derived from living things) the food is prepared. Here are the pointwise differences between autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition.
| Autotrophic Nutrition | Heterotrophic Nutrition |
|---|---|
| In autotrophic nutrition, the organism prepares its food from simple substances present in the surroundings. | In heterotrophic nutrition organism obtains food from digesting organic compounds. |
| Autotrophs are the producers in the food chain. | Heterotrophs are the consumers in the food chain. |
| Example: Plants obtain food by autotrophic nutrition. | Example : Some plants and all animals obtain food by heterotrophic nutrition. |
| autotrophs are fundamental to the food chains of all ecosystems in the world. They take energy from the environment in the form of sunlight or inorganic chemicals and use it to create energy-rich molecules such as carbohydrates. This mechanism is called primary production. | Other organisms, called heterotrophs, take in autotrophs as food to carry out functions necessary for their life. Thus, heterotrophs — all animals, almost all fungi, as well as most bacteria and protozoa — depend on autotrophs, or primary producers, for the energy and raw materials they need. |
| Types of Autotrophic nutrition: (i)Phototrophic (ii) Chemotrophic | Types of Heterotrophic nutrition : (i) Holozoic (ii) Saprophytic (iii)Parasitic and (iv) Symboitic Association |