autotrophy
Making own food
Autotrophy is the ability of an organism to produce its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy.
Plants, algae, and certain bacteria are autotrophs—they don't need to consume other organisms to survive.
The term contrasts with heterotrophy, where organisms must obtain nutrients by eating others: Autotrophy makes plants the foundation of most food chains.
Light-harvesting plant pigment
- chloroplastLight-harvesting cell structure
- sunlightRadiance from our star
- glucosePrimary cellular fuel
- oxygenElement eight, colorless gas
pigment · ATP · stomata · carbohydrate · photolysis · stroma
Photosynthetic aquatic drifters
- cyanobacteriaPhotosynthetic bacteria producing oxygen
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- biomassLiving material in aggregate
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
producers · bioenergetics · kelp · diatoms
Metabolic construction of molecules
- biosynthesisLiving production of molecules
- nitratesNitrogen-oxygen salt compounds
- phosphatesSalts of a certain acid
- mineralsInorganic natural solids
electrons · enzyme · assimilation · substrate
Of ocean depths
- extremophilesOrganisms surviving extreme conditions
- anaerobicNot requiring oxygen
- oxidationLosing electrons chemically
- archaeaThird domain of life
chlorophyll
Light-harvesting plant pigment
- chloroplastLight-harvesting cell structure
- sunlightRadiance from our star
- glucosePrimary cellular fuel
oxygen · pigment · ATP · stomata · carbohydrate · photolysis · stroma
phytoplankton
Photosynthetic aquatic drifters
- cyanobacteriaPhotosynthetic bacteria producing oxygen
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- biomassLiving material in aggregate
ecosystem · producers · bioenergetics · kelp · diatoms
anabolism
Metabolic construction of molecules
- biosynthesisLiving production of molecules
- nitratesNitrogen-oxygen salt compounds
- phosphatesSalts of a certain acid
minerals · electrons · enzyme · assimilation · substrate
self-feeding
Replenishing without outside help
- self-sustainingAble to continue independently
deep-sea
Of ocean depths
- extremophilesOrganisms surviving extreme conditions
- anaerobicNot requiring oxygen
- oxidationLosing electrons chemically
autotrophyheterotrophy
Obtaining energy from others
parasitism · consumption · predation · herbivory · carnivory