adjective
- of or relating to an organism that obtains energy from light, especially through photosynthesis
Usage: biology; technical
Examples
- Phototrophic bacteria use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds.
- Plants are phototrophic organisms that rely on photosynthesis for energy.
- Algae are phototrophic and form the base of many aquatic food chains.
- The phototrophic layer of the ocean contains most of the photosynthetic activity.
- Cyanobacteria are phototrophic prokaryotes that produce oxygen as a byproduct.