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The Four Prokaryotic Nutritional Categories

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Prokaryotes are classified by combining energy source and carbon source: photoautotroph, chemoautotroph, photoheterotroph, and chemoheterotroph name the four resulting nutritional categories.

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A photoautotroph uses light for energy and carbon dioxide for carbon; a chemoheterotroph uses chemical compounds for both energy and carbon.

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"Auto" and "hetero" name the carbon source, while "photo" and "chemo" name the energy source— the two pairs combine independently.