Final answer:
Mucor (x) and leech (z) are heterotrophic organisms, while chlamydomonas (y) is primarily autotrophic but can also exhibit mixotrophic behavior under certain conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To identify autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms among x, y, and z with x = mucor, y = chlamydomonas, and z = leech, let's examine their modes of nutrition:
- Mucor is a type of mold and a member of the fungi kingdom. Molds like mucor are ubiquitous fungi and generally heterotrophic, absorbing nutrients from their environment.
- Chlamydomonas is a type of green algae and is primarily autotrophic, capable of photosynthesis. However, some species can be mixotrophic, which means they have the ability to switch between autotrophy and heterotrophy depending on the environmental conditions.
- Leech is a heterotrophic organism as it feeds on the blood of other animals.
In summary, x (mucor) and z (leech) are heterotrophic, whereas y (chlamydomonas) is mainly autotrophic but can exhibit mixotrophic tendencies.