| Sulphate assimilation is present in plants, algae, fungi, and many autotrophic prokaryotes. |
| Physiologically, plant conversion or seedling development involves a transition from the heterotrophic embryo to an autotrophic plant. |
| An example is Euglena which have adapted to become mixotrophs which as means that they are both heterotrophic and autotrophic. |
| Primary production: Amount of organic matter produced by autotrophic organisms in a given period. |
| Plants are sessile, autotrophic, and grow in an indeterminate and modular manner. |
| Recently there has been discussion about the metabolic state of the ocean, with arguments questioning whether the open ocean is net autotrophic or net heterotrophic. |
