Photoautotroph
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Photoautotrophs are organisms that can utilize light energy from sunlight, and elements from inorganic compounds, to produce organic materials needed to sustain their own metabolism. Such biological a
Winogradsky column showing Photoautotrophs in purple and green
Primary production
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In ecology, primary production is the synthesis of organic compounds from atmospheric or aqueous carbon dioxide. It principally occurs through the process of photosynthesis, which uses light as its so
Global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance, from September 1997 to August 2000. As an estimate of autotroph biomass, it is only a rough indicator of primary-production potential, and not an actual estimate of it. Provided by the SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and GeoEye.
Marine diatoms; an example of planktonic microalgae
A kelp forest; an example of attached macroalgae
An oak tree; a typical modern, terrestrial autotroph