autotrophic
/,ɔ:tə'trɔfik/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Relating to autotrophy: Describes organisms capable of producing their own complex organic nutrients from simple inorganic substances, typically using light (photosynthesis) or inorganic chemical reactions (chemosynthesis).
- Self-nourishing: Pertaining to the nutritional mode of an organism that synthesizes its own food, as opposed to obtaining it from other organisms.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Plants are classic examples of autotrophic organisms.
- The discovery of autotrophic bacteria near hydrothermal vents changed our understanding of life's possibilities.
- An autotrophic mode of nutrition is fundamental to most ecosystems.
Advanced Usage
"Obligately autotrophic": Refers to organisms that can only use an autotrophic mode of nutrition and cannot utilize organic carbon sources.
- Some archaea are obligately autotrophic, relying solely on chemosynthesis.
"Facultatively autotrophic": Describes organisms that can switch between autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition depending on environmental conditions.
- Certain bacteria are facultatively autotrophic, capable of photosynthesis when light is available.
Variants and Related Words
Autotroph (noun): An organism that practices autotrophy.
- Green plants are primary producers and are autotrophs.
Autotrophy (noun): The condition or process of being autotrophic.
- The process of autotrophy forms the base of the food chain.
Autotrophically (adverb): In an autotrophic manner.
- The bacteria grow autotrophically using hydrogen as an energy source.
Synonyms
- Self-feeding: Emphasizes the self-sufficiency in food production.
- Primary producer: An ecological term for autotrophic organisms that form the base of a food web.
Antonyms
- Heterotrophic: Describes organisms that cannot synthesize their own food and must consume organic compounds from other sources.
- Animals and fungi are heterotrophic.
Related Scientific Contexts
- Photosynthetically autotrophic: Specifically refers to autotrophs that use light energy (e.g., plants, algae, cyanobacteria).
- Chemosynthetically autotrophic: Specifically refers to autotrophs that use energy from inorganic chemical reactions (e.g., some bacteria and archaea).
Adjective
-
of or relating to organisms (as green plants) that can make complex organic nutritive compounds from simple inorganic sources by photosynthesis
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ trái nghĩa
Từ chứa "autotrophic"
