Is fungi an autotroph?

All fungi are heterotrophic feeders. Specifically, they are categorized as chemoheterotrophs (also called organotrophs). Fungi do not have chlorophyll to make food using photosynthesis like plants nor can they make food solely from the simple mole... read more

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Fungi do not have chlorophyll to make food using photosynthesis like plants nor can they make food solely from the simple molecules around them like autotrophic organisms do. As heterotrophs, fungi need the complex organic materials found in the soil to make their food and to provide the energy needed to make it. read more

An autotroph ("self-feeding", from the Greek autos"self" and trophe"nourishing") or producer, is an organism that produces complex organic compounds (such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) from simple substances present in its surroundings, generally using energy from light (photosynthesis) or inorganic chemical reactions (chemosynthesis). read more