An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms is called a consumer or a heterotroph. Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and must consume other organisms to obtain energy. This can include animals that eat plants or other animals, as well as decomposers such as bacteria and fungi that break down dead organic matter.
There are different types of consumers, depending on their feeding habits, for example:
- Herbivores: consumers that feed on plants
- Carnivores: consumers that feed on other animals
- Omnivores: consumers that feed on both plants and animals
- Scavengers: consumers that feed on dead organisms
- Decomposers: organisms that feed on dead organisms and break down organic matter.
Heterotroph is a term that encompasses all types of consumers, including animals, fungi and microorganisms.