What term describes organisms that cannot make their own energy and must consume others?

The term that describes organisms that cannot make their own energy and must consume others is "consumers." These organisms are a fundamental part of the food chain, as they obtain energy by eating other living things, including plants and animals. Unlike producers, which can create their own food through processes like photosynthesis, consumers rely on the organic material provided by producers or other consumers.

Consumers can be further classified into different categories, such as herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, based on their dietary preferences. This classification highlights the role of consumers in ecosystems, where they play an important part in energy flow and nutrient cycling. Without consumers, the energy produced by autotrophs (producers) would not be transferred through the food web, affecting the entire ecological balance.