What can an autotroph do that an heterotroph cannot?

Answer 1

An autotroph can make it's own energy. A heterotroph has to eat the autotroph to gain energy. To put it simple, an autotroph is a plant and it turns sunlight into energy in the form of glucose. A heterotroph is an animal and can't make it's own energy, so it eats the plant and the glucose, gaining energy from that.

Answer 2

An autotroph can produce its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, while a heterotroph must consume other organisms for nutrients. This ability to synthesize organic molecules from inorganic sources gives autotrophs a more direct source of energy compared to heterotrophs.