can organisms that follow parasitism, saprotrophic and epiphytic mode of nutrition be classified as consumers?

Solution

Consumers can be described as the organisms which feed on other organisms. The four major types of consumers includes omnivores, carnivores, herbivores and decomposers. Organisms that follow parasitic, saprophytic nutrition and epiphytes can be classified as consumers as
  •  Saprotrophic mode of nutrition in which organisms obtain nutrition from dead and decaying matters is called the Saprotrophic Nutrition. Example fungi.
  • Parasitic Nutrition refers to heterotrophic nutrition, in which parasites depend on other living organisms for their food. For example: tapeworm.
  • The term epiphyte means the organisms growing above a plant. Epiphytes derive nutrients from the dead and decaying plant parts present around the surface. This type of biological interaction is known as commensalism.
In all of the above mentioned modes the nutrients are extracted from other beings. Hence, they can be classified as consumers.

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