What is the difference between Autotroph and Heterotroph?

Autotroph:

1. Organisms capable of utilizing inorganic carbon as their sole sopurce of carbon.

2. Autotrophs synthesize their organic nutrients from CO2, hence are self-nourishing.

3. These are either photoautotrophs (photo synthesis) or chemoautotrophs (chemosynthetic).

Example – Green plants, chemoautotrophic bacteria.

Heterotroph:

1. Organisms unable to utilize inorganic carbon.

2. Heterotrouphs can not synthesize their own food but obtain the organic compounds from other organisms.

3. These may be parasites, saprophytic, symbiotic or insectivorous plants.

Example – Cuscuta, Fungi, Rhizobium, Nepnthes.