Question

Define autotrophs.

Answer 1

Hint: Autotrophs are organisms that can produce complex organic compounds using energy from sunlight in photosynthesis and chemical reactions in chemosynthesis. Two types of autographs namely Photoautotrophs utilize sunlight to produce food and Chemoautotrophs that utilize energy from chemical reactions to produce food.

Complete answer: Autotrophs are the organisms that produce their food using inorganic sources. Autotrophs are also known as producers and are the base of the ecological pyramids. These provide energy to heterotrophs. Heterotrophs are the organisms that are dependent on autotrophs for their survival.
There are two types of autotrophs:
1.Photoautotrophs: These include plants, algae, and bacteria that produce food on their own using sunlight and other inorganic sources. Some photoautotrophs produce sugars from Carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
2.Chemoautotrophs: They live in deep water where there is no sunlight and they use hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur, ammonia as sources of energy. Examples are mainly bacteria.
Some autotrophs are:
a.Plants: They use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and produce carbohydrates using pigment chlorophyll. Oxygen is also released.
b.algae: pond scum.
c.Cyanobacteria: These are free-living photosynthetic bacteria. These are unicellular and grow in colonies.
d.Phytoplankton: Phytoplankton is microscopic marine algae. These are aquatic and primary producers in the aquatic ecosystem.

Note:Autotrophs produce their food using inorganic sources. Heterotrophs are also dependent on autotrophs for food. There are two types of autotrophs namely photoautotrophs that produce organic products using sunlight and Carbon dioxide for example plants and chemoautotrophs that produce products using energy from a chemical reaction. Example archaebacteria.