What do we call organisms that produce their own food?

Organisms that produce their own food are known as autotrophs. This term comes from the Greek words "auto," meaning self, and "troph," meaning nourishment. Autotrophs can synthesize their own organic compounds, typically using sunlight through the process of photosynthesis or inorganic substances. Common examples of autotrophs include plants, algae, and certain bacteria that convert light energy or chemical energy into food.

In contrast, consumers are organisms that rely on eating other organisms for energy, whereas heterotrophs are a broader category that includes all organisms that cannot produce their own food, including consumers. Decomposers break down dead organic material to recycle nutrients in the ecosystem but do not produce food themselves. Thus, the specific characteristic of producing their own food distinguishes autotrophs from these other groups.