#ecosystem base
- Autotroph — A living organism capable of synthesizing its own organic substances required for nutrition and growth from simple inorganic compounds (such as carbon dioxide and water), utilizing an external energy source. Depending on the origin of the energy used, these organisms are classified into photoautotrophs, which use sunlight through photosynthesis (green plants, algae), and chemoautotrophs, which utilize chemical energy resulting from the oxidation of mineral substances.
- Autotrophy — The property, quality, or way of life of autotrophic organisms, characterized by the physiological capacity to synthesize their own organic substances required for nutrition and growth from simple inorganic compounds, utilizing an external energy source (light or chemical). This phenomenon represents the energetic foundation of most terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, ensuring carbon fixation in the biosphere.