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May 13, 2024Modes of Nutrition: Nutrients are chemicals that give energy and biomolecules required for the many physiological activities. Nutrients are required by all living creatures for healthy functioning and development. Nutrients are food components such as carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, lipids, and so on. These components are required for live creatures to survive.
However, they differ in how they meet this desire. Some animals consume simple inorganic molecules to achieve their nutritional needs, whereas others consume complex compounds. The mechanism of nourishment differs between animals. Nutrition is classified into two types based on the diverse ways of nutrition in living organisms., i.e. autotrophic nutrition and heterotrophic nutrition. Continue reading the article to know more about the different modes of nutrition.
The following are the different modes of nutrition:
In the autotrophic mode, organisms generate food on their own using basic inorganic substances such as water and carbon dioxide in the presence of light and chlorophyll. In other terms, photosynthesis is a process that converts light energy into food, such as glucose. These creatures are known as autotrophs. We may find autotrophic nutrition in plants, algae, and bacteria (cyanobacteria).
Carbon dioxide and water are transformed into carbohydrates during photosynthesis. These carbohydrates are stored in plants as starch. Plants then use the stored starch to generate the energy they require. The photosynthetic process is divided into three stages:
All three events are not simultaneous. They may or may not occur in that order. Stomata are the apertures on leaves where gaseous exchange occurs and are controlled by plant guard cells. Through these stomatal holes, plants absorb and expel gases.
To prevent water loss in desert-like situations, guard cells block these pores throughout the day. Later, stomata will open at night to collect carbon dioxide and store it in vacuoles. They will utilise this stored carbon dioxide to produce photosynthesis during the day.
Plants depend on soil for micro and macro constituents in addition to photosynthesis. These elements are utilised to create proteins and other essential compounds needed for the body’s correct functioning and growth.
Not every organism is able to prepare food on its own. Such organisms rely on others for nourishment. Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot manufacture food independently and must rely on other sources/organisms. This type of feeding is referred to as heterotrophic nutrition.
Heterotrophs are categorised into the following groups based on their mode of nutrition:
There are two types of nutrition in plants, i.e. autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition:
Autotrophic Nutrition in Plants: Photosynthesis
Some plants lack chlorophyll and must rely on other plants for sustenance via the heterotrophic method of feeding. These kinds of plant nourishment are known as Heterotrophic nutrition in plants, and so are referred to as parasites.
Heterotrophic Plants
The following are the different types of heterotrophic plants that are classified mainly on their mode of nutrition:
Parasitic Nutrition
Some heterotrophic plants get their nutrition from other plants and animals. Such plants are referred to as parasite plants. The parasite, however, does not help the host.
For eg., Cuscuta, Cassytha
Insectivorous Nutrition
Some plants, known as carnivorous or heterotrophic plants, have particular structural traits that aid in the capture of insects. These plants digest the insects and get their nutrition by secreting digestive fluids. These plants flourish on mineral-deficient soil.
For eg., Pitcher plant, Venus flytrap
Saprophytic Nutrition
Saprophytic plants obtain their food from dead and decaying plants and animals. By secreting digestive fluids and absorbing nutrients, they disintegrate dead and rotting materials.
For eg., mushrooms, moulds.
Symbiotic Nutrition
Symbiotic plants are those that have a tight relationship with another plant from a different category. Both plants benefit from each other.
For eg., the association of fungi and trees.
The animals’ eating habits determine animal nutrition. Ingestion is the process of taking in food. Diverse animals have different methods of intake. Bees and hummingbirds, for example, suck nectar from plants, whereas pythons devour their prey and cattle eat on the grass.
Based on their eating habits, we can classify candidates into the following groups:
Herbivores: Animals that depend upon plants and fruits for nutrition are known as Herbivores. Cows, goats, sheep, and buffaloes are some examples of herbivores.
Carnivores: Animals that depend upon other animals for food are known as Carnivores. Lion, tiger, and wolf are some examples of carnivores.
Omnivores: This group of animals consume both plants and animals. Humans, bears, dogs, and crows are some examples of omnivores.
The following are the different types of nutrition in animals:
The following steps include the process of nutrition in animals:
Ingestion: The process of taking in food is known as ingestion.
Digestion: The process of breaking down the larger food particles into smaller, water-soluble particles is known as digestion.
Absorption: The process of absorption of digested food in the bloodstream through the intestinal wall.
Assimilation: Assimilation is the process where the absorbed food is utilised for energy, growth and repair of the cells of the body.
Egestion: The process of undigested food is removed out of the body in the faeces is known as egestion.
The following points explain the steps of consuming nutrition in simple animals:
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