1. Organisms that produce their own food by converting inorganic substances (such as carbon dioxide and water) into organic compounds, typically using energy from sunlight or chemical reactions.
Usage: Plural form of autotroph; Common in biology and ecology contexts; Includes plants, algae, and certain bacteria

Examples

• Plants are autotrophs that use photosynthesis to create energy from sunlight.
• Autotrophs form the base of most food chains and food webs.
• Green algae are aquatic autotrophs found in freshwater and marine environments.
• Some bacteria are chemosynthetic autotrophs that obtain energy from chemical reactions rather than light.
• Without autotrophs, ecosystems would lack the primary producers needed to support other life forms.
• In the ocean, phytoplankton are microscopic autotrophs that produce much of Earth's oxygen.