Autotroph

Autotroph

An autotroph (from the Greek "autos" = self and "trophe" = nutrition) is an organism that produces complex organic compounds from simple inorganic molecules using energy from light or inorganic chemical reactions.

Autotrophs are the producers in a food chain. Plants and other organisms which carry out photosynthesis are photoautotrophs (or phototrophs). Bacteria which derive energy from oxidizing inorganic compounds (such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonium and ferrous iron) are chemoautotrophs, and include the lithotrophs.

Autotrophs are fundamental to the food chains of all plant ecosystems. They take energy from the environment (in the form of sunlight or inorganic chemicals) and use it to create carbon-based organic molecules. Other organisms, called heterotrophs, take in autotrophs as food to carry out such functions. Thus, heterotrophs — almost all animals, fungi, as well as most bacteria and protozoa — depend on autotrophs for the energy and raw materials they need. This mechanism is called primary production in the sea. Heterotrophs obtain energy by breaking down organic molecules obtained in food. Carnivorous animals ultimately rely on autotrophs because the energy and organic building blocks obtained from their prey comes from autotrophs they preyed upon.

There are some species (species come from the ground or the soil) of organisms that require organic compounds as a source of carbon, but are able to use light or inorganic compounds as a source of energy. Such organisms are not defined as autotrophic, but rather as heterotrophic. An organism that obtains carbon from organic compounds but obtains energy from light is called a "photoheterotroph", while an organism that obtains carbon from organic compounds but obtains energy from the oxidation of inorganic compounds is termed a "chemoheterotroph".

Flowchart

*Autotroph
**Chemoautotroph
**Photoautotroph
*Heterotroph
**Chemoheterotroph
**Photoheterotroph

ee also

*Primary nutritional groups


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • autotroph — n. an organism which is {autotrophic}, i. e., an organism (such as most plants and certain microorganisms) which are capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances, requiring only minerals as nutrients for growth, and using… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • autotroph — autotroph. См. автотроф. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • Autotroph — Unter Autotrophie (altgr. autotroph – wörtlich: „sich selbst ernährend“ von autos – „selbst“, trophe – „Ernährung“) wird in der Biologie die Fähigkeit von Lebewesen verstanden, ihre Baustoffe (und organischen Reservestoffe) ausschließlich aus… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • autotroph — au|to|troph 〈Adj.; Bot.〉 sich selbst ernährend (Pflanzen); Ggs heterotroph [<grch. autos „selbst“ + trophe „Nahrung“] * * * au|to|troph <Adj.> [zu griech. trophe̅̓ = Nahrung] (Biol.): sich nur von anorganischen Stoffen ernährend. * * *… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • autotroph — noun Etymology: German, from autotroph, adjective Date: 1938 an autotrophic organism …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • autotroph — autotrofas statusas T sritis augalininkystė apibrėžtis Organizmas, gaminantis organinę medžiagą iš anglies dioksido, vandens ir mineralinių druskų, vykstant fotosintezės ar chemosintezės procesui. atitikmenys: angl. autotroph rus. автотроф;… …   Žemės ūkio augalų selekcijos ir sėklininkystės terminų žodynas

  • autotroph — (aw to trōf) An organism that uses CO2 as its sole or principal source of carbon …   Dictionary of microbiology

  • autotroph — (= lithotroph) Organisms that synthesize all their organic molecules from inorganic materials (carbon dioxide, salts etc.). May be photo autotrophs or chemo autotrophs, depending upon the source of the energy. Also known as lithotrophic organisms …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • autotroph — autotrophic, adj. /aw teuh trof , trohf /, n. Biol. any organism capable of self nourishment by using inorganic materials as a source of nutrients and using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis as a source of energy, as most plants and certain… …   Universalium

  • autotroph — noun Any organism that can synthesize its food from inorganic substances, using heat or light as a source of energy …   Wiktionary

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