Biology Regents Practice Exam

What type of nutrition do plants primarily utilize?

1. Heterotrophic nutrition

2. Autotrophic nutrition

3. Decomposing nutrition

4. Parasitic nutrition

The correct answer is: Autotrophic nutrition

Plants primarily utilize autotrophic nutrition, which is the process by which they create their own food using sunlight through photosynthesis. In this process, plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, using light energy absorbed by chlorophyll. This ability allows them to be the primary producers in most ecosystems, forming the base of the food chain. Autotrophic nutrition distinguishes plants from other organisms that rely on consuming organic matter, such as animals and fungi, which engage in heterotrophic nutrition. The other types listed, such as decomposing and parasitic nutrition, represent different strategies that specific organisms use to obtain nutrients, but they do not apply to the vast majority of plants, which are primarily autotrophic. This capability is crucial for sustaining life on Earth, as it provides the oxygen we breathe and the organic materials that form the foundation of the food web.