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heterotroph
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Great blue heron
A tall white mushroom in the forest.
Small brown mushrooms growing at the base of a tree.
Discern between self-sustaining autotrophs and consumer heterotrophs and find their places in the food chain
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Great blue heron
Great blue heron A great blue heron (Ardea herodias) with a fish in its beak in the Everglades, Florida.

heterotroph

ecology
Also known as: heterotrophy
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heterotroph, in ecology, an organism that consumes other organisms in a food chain.

A tall white mushroom in the forest.
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Small brown mushrooms growing at the base of a tree.
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In contrast to autotrophs, heterotrophs are unable to produce organic substances from inorganic ones. They must rely on an organic source of carbon that has originated as part of another living organism. Heterotrophs depend either directly or indirectly on autotrophs for nutrients and food energy. For example, raccoons might consume corn (maize) planted in a field, or they might catch and eat rodents that rely on corn as a food source.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Meg Matthias.