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heterotrophs
- major resource is consumption of other organisms
- metabolize and excrete contents from what they eat
- decomposers
- parasites
- grazers: eat part of organism, but doesnt die
- predators
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plants as food
plants high in C compared to N
- cellulose in cell walls impossible to digest
- ruminants have symbiotic relationship w/ bacteria which break down cellulose
- chewing/cooking also
herbivores: high in Carbon so it wastes it, needs the nitrogen
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animals as food
plenty of N
Carnivores are C limited and excretes N (due to muscle and chiton)
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consumers: specialists vs. generalists
- specialist: consume only a single species for a few closely related
- not a very balanced diet
- use biosynthesis to get basic macromolecues they need (work)
- generalists: wide variety of species (omnivores)
- show strong preferences
- dilemma- if you can eat everything, you need to decide to balance diet
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other resources
- oxygen: aerobic respiration
- lack of O2: aquatic, trapped, saturated soils, frozen
- anoxia animals: hibernators (hypoxia), turtles and carp, clams and oyster, insects that can stand freezing
- survive by having big fuel supply (survive on glycolysis)
- tolerating acid buildup (buffering blood)
- slower metabolic rate (lower need for ATP)
- antioxidant protection (protect tissue from radicals that are created as O2 is available)
- space and structures (impress ladies)
- mineral nutrients
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