Which term describes organisms that obtain their food by consuming plants or other animals?

• A. Autotrophs
• B. Primary consumers
• C. Heterotrophs
• D. Decomposers

Answer: (C)

Organisms that obtain their food by consuming other living things are heterotrophs. Autotrophs make their own food using light or chemical energy, so they aren’t described as consuming preformed nutrients from other organisms. Heterotrophs encompass herbivores that eat plants, carnivores that eat animals, and many decomposers that obtain energy by breaking down organic matter from other organisms. The description in the question points to heterotrophs because the energy comes from consuming or absorbing materials produced by others, not from making it themselves.