What is an omnivore?

Prepare for the Safe Drinking Water Act Test. Study with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Master water safety regulations and ensure public health. Ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

What is an omnivore?

An omnivore is an organism that eats both plants and animals. This mixed diet places it in the broader category of heterotrophs, which obtain energy by consuming other organisms, but what sets an omnivore apart is the combination of plant-based and animal-based foods. Autotrophs, by contrast, make their own food from light or chemical energy (think plants doing photosynthesis), not consuming other organisms. Saprotrophs feed on decaying organic matter by breaking it down externally, which is a decomposer lifestyle rather than consuming living plants and animals. So the defining idea is the ability to obtain nutrients from both plant and animal sources, rather than from producers, decomposers, or a single food type. Examples include humans, bears, and pigs.

An omnivore is an organism that eats both plants and animals. This mixed diet places it in the broader category of heterotrophs, which obtain energy by consuming other organisms, but what sets an omnivore apart is the combination of plant-based and animal-based foods. Autotrophs, by contrast, make their own food from light or chemical energy (think plants doing photosynthesis), not consuming other organisms. Saprotrophs feed on decaying organic matter by breaking it down externally, which is a decomposer lifestyle rather than consuming living plants and animals. So the defining idea is the ability to obtain nutrients from both plant and animal sources, rather than from producers, decomposers, or a single food type. Examples include humans, bears, and pigs.

More practice questions