Apart from plants and animals, microbes form a permanent biotic component in an ecosystem. While plants have been referred to as autotrophs and animals as heterotrophs. What are microbes referred to as? How do the microbes fulfill their energy requirements?

Question

Apart from plants and animals, microbes form a permanent biotic component in an ecosystem. While plants have been referred to as autotrophs and animals as heterotrophs. What are microbes referred to as? How do the microbes fulfill their energy requirements?,

MARKS App · Accepted Answer

Organisms are classified as autotrophs and heterotrophs, on the basis of nutrition. Autotrophs are further categorised into photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs, while heterotrophs may be parasites, predators or a saprophytes etc. Microbes are saprotrophs deriving nourishment or energy from dead organic matter or remains of plants and animals. Their mode of digestion is extracellular.

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