Which best describes the interaction between autotrophs and heterotrophs?
A. One competes with the other for access to sunlight and soil
B. One decomposes the other to release nutrients back into the soil.
C. One helps produce the other in a mutually beneficial relationship
D. One consumes the other to use energy that originally came from the Sun

Question

Which best describes the interaction between autotrophs and heterotrophs? 
 A. One competes with the other for access to sunlight and soil
B. One decomposes the other to release nutrients back into the soil.
C. One helps produce the other in a mutually beneficial relationship
D. One consumes the other to use energy that originally came from the Sun

anonymous · Answer

D

jessicahw · Answer

Autotrophs are usually plants that produce their own food and heterotrophs have to get their food from an outside source (namely, autotrophs and other organisms), so D would be correct. Heterotrophs generally don't need soil/sun because they're...not plants, so A is out. Neither autotrophs nor heterotrophs are decomposers so B is out. Plants get zero benefit from being eaten, so C is out.

anonymous · Answer

@jessicaHW well, they don't need sun/soil for the same reasons.  Exotherms would be really screwed in most cases without the sun.

anonymous · Answer

Oh, exotherm is used in some books but I guess it is true that ectotherm is the more appropriate term.