Editing Nutrition (section)

=== Nutritional groups ===
{{main|Primary nutritional groups}}
Organisms can be classified by how they obtain carbon and energy. [[Heterotroph]]s are organisms that obtain nutrients by consuming the carbon of other organisms, while [[autotroph]]s are organisms that produce their own nutrients from the carbon of inorganic substances like [[carbon dioxide]]. [[Mixotroph]]s are organisms that can be heterotrophs and autotrophs, including some [[plankton]] and [[carnivorous plant]]s. [[Phototroph]]s obtain energy from light, while [[chemotroph]]s obtain energy by consuming chemical energy from matter. [[Organotroph]]s consume other organisms to obtain electrons, while [[lithotroph]]s obtain electrons from inorganic substances, such as [[water]], [[hydrogen sulfide]], [[dihydrogen]], [[iron(II)]], [[sulfur]], or [[ammonium]].{{Sfn|Andrews|2017|pp=72–79}} Prototrophs can create essential nutrients from other compounds, while [[auxotroph]]s must consume preexisting nutrients.{{Sfn|Andrews|2017|p=93}}