Autotrophic Nutrition

Autotrophic Nutrition

The mode of nutrition in which an organism makes its own food is called autotrophic nutrition. All green plants making own food by the process of photosynthesis. Green plants are called producers or Autotroph, as they are capable of preparing their own food with the help of some non-living factors of the environment. Green plants take carbon dioxide from the air and water and minerals from the soil through the roots. The green coloured pigment called chlorophyll present in the leaves of plants traps energy from the sunlight.

This kind of nutrition in which green plants make their own food by utilizing simple substances from the environment is called autotrophic nutrition. The process by which plants make their food is called photosynthesis (photo: light; synthesis: to combine). If the autotrophs prepare their own food by utilising chemical energy they are called chemoautotrophs.

Holophytic nutrition is mainly found in plants and another name of autotrophic nutrition is holophytic nutrition.

Autotroph Examples

Following are the important examples of autotrophs: