In the natural science context, a consumer refers to an organism that obtains its energy by feeding on other organisms. Consumers are also known as heterotrophs because they cannot produce their own food and instead rely on other organisms for sustenance. They can be further classified based on their feeding habits. For example, herbivores are consumers that primarily eat plants, while carnivores are consumers that primarily eat other animals. Omnivores are consumers that have a diet consisting of both plant and animal matter. Decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, are also considered consumers as they obtain energy by breaking down dead organic matter.
