All About Photosynthetic Organisms
Some organisms are capable of capturing the energy from sunlight and using it to produce organic compounds. This process, known as photosynthesis, is essential to life as it provides energy for both producers and consumers. Photosynthetic organisms, also known as photoautotrophs, are organisms that are capable of photosynthesis. Some of these organisms include higher plants, some protists (algae and euglena), and bacteria.
Key Takeaways: Photosynthetic Organisms
- Photosynthetic organisms, known as photoautotrophs, capture the energy from sunlight and use it to produce organic compounds through the process of photosynthesis.
- In photosynthesis, the inorganic compounds of carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight are used by photoautotrophs to produce glucose, oxygen, and water.
- Photosynthetic organisms include plants, algae, euglena and bacteria
Photosynthesis
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In photosynthesis, light energy is converted to chemical energy, which is stored in the form of glucose (sugar). Inorganic compounds (carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight) are used to produce glucose, oxygen, and water. Photosynthetic organisms use carbon to generate organic molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins) and build biological mass. The oxygen produced as a bi-product of photosynthesis is used by many organisms, including plants and animals, for cellular respiration. Most organisms rely on photosynthesis, either directly or indirectly, for nourishment. Heterotrophic (hetero-, -trophic) organisms, such as animals, most bacteria, and fungi, are not capable of photosynthesis or of producing biological compounds from inorganic sources. As such, they must consume photosynthetic organisms and other autotrophs (auto-, -trophs) in order to obtain these substances.
Photosynthetic Organisms
Examples of photosynthetic organisms include:
- Plants
- Algae (Diatoms, Phytoplankton, Green Algae)
- Euglena
- Bacteria (Cyanobacteria and Anoxygenic Photosynthetic Bacteria)
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