autotrophic
/ˌɔːtəˈtroʊfɪk/
adjective
- Describing an organism that can make its own food from simple substances like sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, without needing to eat other organisms.
- Some bacteria are autotrophic and can survive in extreme environments using chemicals instead of sunlight.
- Plants are autotrophic because they use sunlight to produce their own energy through photosynthesis.
- Algae in the ocean are autotrophic, forming the base of many aquatic food webs.
Antonyms