Phototrophs (Gr: φῶς, φωτός = light, τροϕή = nourishment) are the organisms that carry out photon capture to acquire energy. They use the energy from light to carry out various cellular metabolic processes. It is a common misconception that phototrophs are obligatorily photosynthetic. Many, but not all, phototrophs often photosynthes...
(from the article `bacteria`) Life on Earth is dependent on the conversion of solar energy to cellular energy by the process of photosynthesis. The general process of ... ...is almost always obtained by the transfer of an electron from an electron donor to an electron acceptor. There are three basic sources of energy: ... ...evolved ...
An organism that obtains energy from light.
Type: Term Pronunciation: fō′tō-trōf Definitions: 1. An organism that uses light for its energy needs.
(Gk: photos=light; trophos feeder; feeding off light) single-celled bacteria and protists in the sea ranging between 0.5-1.0 micrometre producing most of the ocean's primary production. These ultra small organisms grow fast, providing food to the smallest of planktonic heterotrophs (other-feeders). See also autotroph self-feeder.
phototroph An organism that uses light for its energy needs.
organism that gets its energy from light