Saprotrophs at Higher Level: The same statement as SL. HL questions compare saprotrophic with holozoic nutrition and ask what they share.
Practise this as you read
- Identify saprotrophic nutrition.
- Compare saprotrophic and holozoic nutrition.
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The big idea: Saprotrophs are heterotrophs that feed on dead organic matter. They digest it outside their bodies and absorb the products.
The points to remember
- Enzymes are secreted onto the dead matter: external digestion.
- The small, soluble products are absorbed.
- Many fungi and bacteria feed this way.
- They are decomposers: they release minerals for plants to reuse.
Holozoic
- Food ingested into a gut
- Digestion inside the body
- Most animals
Saprotrophic
- Enzymes secreted onto food
- Digestion outside the body
- Many fungi and bacteria
Remember it as: Saprotroph: digest outside, absorb, recycle.
Real example: soil bacteria. A teaspoon of fertile soil holds many millions of bacteria; many are saprotrophs that break down dead leaves and roots, releasing nitrogen and other minerals that plants take up again.
Trap: Both holozoic and saprotrophic nutrition use enzymes to digest food: the difference is where digestion happens.
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How it is asked: Expect a fungus or bacterium described as digesting dead matter, or a comparison of holozoic and saprotrophic nutrition.
IB-style questionCompare and contrast[3 marks]
Compare and contrast holozoic and saprotrophic nutrition.
Model answer plan
See the answer broken into clear points, with guidance on how each point earns marks.