A. fumigatus must acquire nutrients from its external environment in order to survive and flourish within its host.

The bacterium first resides in an early endosome, where it acquires nutrients for binary fission and grows into small groups called morulae.

These tall trees required deep rooting systems to acquire water and nutrients, and provide anchorage.

Phagocytosis evolved as a means of acquiring nutrients, but this role was extended in phagocytes to include engulfment of pathogens as a defense mechanism.

Due to the different strategies of endoparasites and ectoparasites they require different adaptations in order to acquire nutrients from their host.

Some plants however are unable to synthesise their own 'food' by photosynthesis and therefore acquire nutrients by parasitic nutrition from other living plants.

One difficulty the parasite has in acquiring nutrients from the cytoplasm is the presence of phosphate groups on these molecules.

Historically, Sarcosphaera coronaria has been assumed to be saprobic, acquiring nutrients from breaking down decaying organic matter.

They will eat their own faeces to acquire nutrients produced by bacteria in their intestines.

This is an oversimplification, in that it is arguable that some shoot and root cells serve other functions than to acquire nutrients.