is it true that a food chain generally begins with a heterotroph.?

Answer 1

No, a food chain must always begin with an autotroph (meaning a "self-feeder", a producer), usually a plant. It is only plants that can capture the energy from the sun and use it (with water and carbon dioxide) to make food. Then the plant is eaten by a heterotroph (meanint "other feeder", a consumer), usually an animal.

Answer 2

Food chains always begin with autotrophs. Chemotrophs which are heterotrophic do not begin the food chain. They are heterotrophic thereby they eat other organsims for food. There are facultative chemotrophs that can do both but since you are talking food chains you have to decide whether you are looking at their autotrophy or heterotrophy, and place them accordingly.

Answer 3

No... food chains do not always begin with heterotrophs, some food chains begin with detitrus.. which is dead matter, detrivores feed on this.

Answer 4

No. Food chain always starts with autotrophs. Autotrophs may be plants, algae or bacteria. Depending on their energy source they are classified as photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs. All the autotrophs are called as energy producers for the ecosystem. They are considered to be a connecting link between living and non living matter.

Answer 5

Don't forget about the chemotrophs. Chemotrophs are organisms that obtain energy by the oxidation of electron donating molecules in their environments. These molecules can be organic (organotrophs) or inorganic (lithotrophs). The chemotroph designation is in contrast to phototrophs which utilize solar energy. Chemotrophs can be either autotrophic or heterotrophic.