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Autotroph

Definition

noun, plural: autotrophs

A organism capable of making nutritive organic molecules from inorganic sources via photosynthesis (involving light energy) or chemosynthesis (involving chemical energy).


Supplement

Autotrophs are the producers in a food chain, such as plants on land or algae in water. Autotrophs may be photoautotrophs or chemoautotrophs.


Word origin: from the Greek autos = self and trophe = nutrition
Related forms: atotrophic (adjective)

Synonyms:


Compare: heterotroph

Related terms:


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does sodium deoxycholate effect salmonella typhimurium

Well, His+ strain is histidine-autotroph, can produce His by itself. His- is histidine-heterotroph, for some reason needs histidine to be supplemented, so His- strain can't grow on medium w/o His. BUT - mutations sometimes occur (even w/o ...

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by JackBean
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Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:46 am
 
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is it an autotroph? Does it have a flagellum? Does it have cillia? Does it have some sort of outer covering other than a cell membrane? Is it found in fresh water? No Yes No Uhm, no Can be :lol: but naturally,no :P

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by DoctorStein
Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:33 am
 
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"Twenty questions"-biology game

is it an autotroph? Does it have a flagellum? Does it have cillia? Does it have some sort of outer covering other than a cell membrane? Is it found in fresh water?

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by February Beetle
Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:56 pm
 
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photoautotroph and photoheterotroph difference?

There is a flowchart that summarizes these divisions here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotroph Good luck!

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by gamar
Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:29 am
 
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