http://medicinepdfebooks.blogdetik.

com/2013/01/19/microbiology-a-human-perspective-7th-
edition-nester/
Classification of organisms based on metabolism
Classification based on how to get what
ENERGI phototrophs use light - chemotrophs use chemical compounds
ELECTRONS
lithotrophs oxidize inorganic compounds - organotrophs
oxidize organic compounds
CARBON autotrophs use CO
2
- heterotrophs use organic compounds

Description of typical groups
autotrophs
use CO
2
as primary carbon source; most obligate autotrophs are
chemolithotrophic or photolithotrophic
chemotrophs use chemical compounds as primary energy source
chemolithotrophs oxidize inorganic compounds for energy generation; often autotrophic
chemolithoautotrophs
oxidize inorganic compounds for energy generation and CO
2
fixation; small
number of species but quantitatively important for the cycling of C, N, and S.
chemolithoheterotroph
s
oxidize inorganic compounds for energy generation but use organic
compounds for cell carbon; also called mixotrophs (some mixotrophs may also
use CO
2
for cell carbon)
chemoorganotrophs oxidize organic compounds for energy generation; most are heterotrophic
chemoorganoheterotro
phs
use organic compounds for energy generation and cell carbon; includes the
majority of bacterial and fungal species
heterotrophs use organic compounds as primary carbon source
mixotrophs
oxidize primarily inorganic compounds for energy
generation (chemolithotrophy), but may use bothorganic and CO
2
for
cell carbon (heterotrophy and autotrophy)
phototrophs use light as primary energy source; some are facultative chemotrophs
photoautotrophs use light as primary energy source and CO
2
as primary carbon source
photoheterotrophs
use light as primary energy source and organic compounds as
primary carbon source
photolithotrophs use inorganic electron donors in photosynthesis
photolithoautotrophs
use inorganic electron donors in photosynthesis and CO
2
fixation; include all
plants and cyanobacteria
photoorganotrophs use organic electron donors in photosynthesis