NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Heterotrophs are known as consumers because they consume producers or other consumers. Dogs, birds, fish, and humans are all examples of heterotrophs.

Detailed explanation-2: -Humans are not autotrophs. They depend on other organisms to derive nutrition from them; hence they are known as heterotrophs. Humans obtain nutrition from plants and animals, hence called omnivores.

Detailed explanation-3: -Heterotrophic nutrition can be one of three types – holozoic, saprophytic or parasitic. Holozoic nutrition can be seen in most vertebrates and some unicellular organisms like the amoeba.

Detailed explanation-4: -The three types of heterotrophs are herbivores, omnivores and carnivores, and detritivores. Heterotrophs occupy the second and third levels of food chains, feeding on autotrophs (second level) or feeding on autotrophs and other heterotrophs (third level).

Detailed explanation-5: -Autotrophs store chemical energy in carbohydrate food molecules they build themselves. Most autotrophs make their “food” through photosynthesis using the energy of the sun. Heterotrophs cannot make their own food, so they must eat or absorb it.