Autotrophic nutrition is a mode of nutrition found in organisms, such as plants, algae, and some bacteria, that can produce their own organic molecules (typically through photosynthesis) using inorganic sources of carbon, such as carbon dioxide, and inorganic sources of energy, such as sunlight or chemical energy. Autotrophs are often referred to as "self-feeders" because they can synthesize their own organic compounds from simple inorganic substances.
The primary process by which autotrophs produce organic molecules is photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, autotrophs use the energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (a simple sugar) and oxygen. This process takes place in the chloroplasts of plant cells and involves complex biochemical reactions that utilize pigments such as chlorophyll.
Autotrophic nutrition is essential for sustaining life on Earth, as autotrophs serve as the primary producers in most ecosystems, providing the organic molecules necessary for heterotrophic organisms (organisms that cannot produce their own organic molecules) to survive.
