Autotroph
Videos
An autotroph is an organism that can convert abiotic sources of energy converted into stored energy in organic compounds, which can be used by other organisms.
Green fronds of a maidenhair fern, a photoautotroph
Cyanobacteria
Videos
Cyanobacteria are a group of autotrophic gram-negative bacteria of the phylum Cyanobacteriota that can obtain biological energy via oxygenic photosynthesis. Cyanobacteria originated in a freshwater or
Autotroph
…their heterotrophic prey come from autotrophs they have consumed. Most ecosystems are supported by the autotrophic primary production of plants and cyanobacteria that capture photons initially released by the sun. Plants can only use a fraction (approximately 1%) of this energy for photosynthesis. The process…
CSIRO Science Image 4203 A bluegreen algae species Cylindrospermum sp under magnification
Cyanobacteria are found almost everywhere. Sea spray containing marine microorganisms, including cyanobacteria, can be swept high into the atmosphere where they become aeroplankton, and can travel the globe before falling back to earth.
Prochlorococcus, an influential marine cyanobacterium which produces much of the world's oxygen
Unicellular and colonial cyanobacteria. (scale bars about 10 μm)