Mixotrophy is a metabolic strategy exhibited by organisms that simultaneously utilize both autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of resource acquisition. As a key concept in microbial ecology, planktology, and evolutionary biology, it investigates the physiological mechanisms, ecological roles, and evolutionary advantages of organisms capable of obtaining energy and nutrients from both inorganic carbon fixation (e.g., photosynthesis) and the consumption of organic matter, underscoring their significant contributions to trophic dynamics and biogeochemical cycles in diverse ecosystems.