Why must autotrophic nutrition occur before hetrotrophic nutrition?

Answer 1

Autotrophic nutrition must occur before heterotrophic nutrition because autotrophs, like plants and some microorganisms, produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, converting inorganic substances into organic compounds. These organic compounds serve as the primary energy source for heterotrophs, which cannot manufacture their own food and rely on consuming autotrophs or other heterotrophs. Thus, autotrophs form the foundational base of the food chain, enabling energy transfer to higher trophic levels. Without autotrophs, heterotrophic organisms would have no available energy source to sustain life.