English edit

Etymology edit

From hetero- (other) +‎ -troph (nutrition).

Pronunciation edit

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈhɛt(ə)ɹə(ʊ)tɹəʊf/, /hɛt(ə)ɹə(ʊ)ˈtɹɒf/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈhɛɾəɹəˌtɹoʊf/, /-ˌtɹɒf/

Noun edit

heterotroph (plural heterotrophs)

  1. (ecology) An organism which requires an external supply of energy and nutrients under the form of food containing organic carbon as it cannot synthesize its own.
    • 2009, Christian Wirth, Gerd Gleixner, Martin Heimann, Old-Growth Forests: Function, Fate and Value, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 159:
      Woody detritus is an important component of forested ecosystems. It can reduce erosion and affects soil development, stores nutrients and water, provides a major source of energy and nutrients, and serves as a seedbed for plants and as a major habitat for decomposers and heterotrophs.
    • 2013 March, Harold J. Morowitz, “The Smallest Cell”, in American Scientist[1], volume 101, number 2, archived from the original on 4 January 2017, page 83:
      It is likely that the long evolutionary trajectory of Mycoplasma went from a reductive autotroph to oxidative heterotroph to a cell-wall–defective degenerate parasite. This evolutionary trajectory assumes the simplicity to complexity route of biogenesis, a point of view that is not universally accepted.

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German edit

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Adjective edit

heterotroph (strong nominative masculine singular heterotropher, not comparable)

  1. heterotrophic

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