(a) What are autotrophs ? Give one example of autotrophs.
(b)What are the conditions necessary for autotrophic nutrition ?
(a) What are autotrophs ? Give one example of autotrophs.
(b)What are the conditions necessary for autotrophic nutrition ?
(a) Autotroph
Autotrophs are organisms that can produce their own food, using materials from inorganic sources. The word “autotroph” comes from the root words “auto” for “self” and “troph” for “food.” An autotroph is an organism that feeds itself, without the assistance of any other organisms.
Examples of Autotrophs- Plants
Plants, with very few exceptions (such as the venus fly trap which can eat insects) are photoautotrophs. They produce sugars and other essential ingredients for life by using their pigments, such as chlorophyll, to capture photons and harness their energy. When plants are consumed by animals, animals are then able to use that energy and those organic materials for themselves.
Green Algae
Green algaes, which may be familiar to you as pond scum, are also photoautotrophs. Green algae may in fact bear a great resemblance to the first common life form on Earth – cyanobacteria, a green bacteria that grew in mats and began the process of turning Earth into a world with an oxygen atmosphere.
(b)
Autotrophic nutrition takes place through the process of photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide, water, chlorophyll pigment, and sunlight are the necessary conditions required for autotrophic nutrition. Carbohydrates (food) and CO2 are the by-products of photosynthesis.
The conditions necessary for autotrophic nutrition are:
Sunlight
Chlorophyll
Carbon dioxide
Water
The byproducts are carbohydrates in the form of starch and O2
(a) Autotroph
Autotrophs are organisms that can produce their own food, using materials from inorganic sources. The word “autotroph” comes from the root words “auto” for “self” and “troph” for “food.” An autotroph is an organism that feeds itself, without the assistance of any other organisms.
Examples of Autotrophs- Plants
Plants, with very few exceptions (such as the venus fly trap which can eat insects) are photoautotrophs. They produce sugars and other essential ingredients for life by using their pigments, such as chlorophyll, to capture photons and harness their energy. When plants are consumed by animals, animals are then able to use that energy and those organic materials for themselves.
Green Algae
Green algaes, which may be familiar to you as pond scum, are also photoautotrophs. Green algae may in fact bear a great resemblance to the first common life form on Earth – cyanobacteria, a green bacteria that grew in mats and began the process of turning Earth into a world with an oxygen atmosphere.
(b)
Autotrophic nutrition takes place through the process of photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide, water, chlorophyll pigment, and sunlight are the necessary conditions required for autotrophic nutrition. Carbohydrates (food) and CO2 are the by-products of photosynthesis.
The conditions necessary for autotrophic nutrition are:
Sunlight
Chlorophyll
Carbon dioxide
Water
The byproducts are carbohydrates in the form of starch and O2
