Autotroph vs. Lithotroph — What's the Difference?

Organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances.

Autotrophs that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic substances.

Adapted to environments ranging from deep oceans to deserts.

Often found in environments lacking light, such as soil and deep-sea vents.

Includes a wide range of organisms, from single-celled bacteria to multicellular plants.

Play a critical role in biogeochemical cycles, like the nitrogen cycle.

Utilize light (photoautotrophs) or chemical energy (chemoautotrophs).

Rely on chemical reactions involving inorganic compounds.

Serve as the base of food chains by producing organic material.

Specialized metabolic pathways to utilize inorganic energy sources.

An autotroph or primary producer is an organism that produces complex organic compounds (such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) using carbon from simple substances such as carbon dioxide, generally using energy from light (photosynthesis) or inorganic chemical reactions (chemosynthesis). They convert an abiotic source of energy (e.g.

Lithotrophs are a diverse group of organisms using an inorganic substrate (usually of mineral origin) to obtain reducing equivalents for use in biosynthesis (e.g., carbon dioxide fixation) or energy conservation (i.e., ATP production) via aerobic or anaerobic respiration. While lithotrophs in the broader sense include photolithotrophs like plants, chemolithotrophs are exclusively microorganisms; no known macrofauna possesses the ability to use inorganic compounds as electron sources.

An organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide.

(biochemistry) An organism that obtains its energy from inorganic compounds (such as ammonia) via electron transfer.

An organism capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy. Green plants, algae, and certain bacteria are autotrophs.

(ecology) Any organism that can synthesize its food from inorganic substances, using heat or light as a source of energy.

An organism which is autotrophic, i. e., an organism (such as most plants and certain microorganisms) which are capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances, requiring only minerals as nutrients for growth, and using carbonate or carbon dioxide as a source of carbon and simple inorganic nitrogen as a nitrogen source; the energy required is derived from photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Opposed to heterotroph. See also auxotroph.

Plant capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances

Yes, all lithotrophs are autotrophs because they produce their own organic molecules, but not all autotrophs are lithotrophs.

Photoautotrophs use sunlight for energy, whereas lithotrophs oxidize inorganic substances.

Lithotrophs typically do not perform photosynthesis; they obtain energy through chemical reactions involving inorganic compounds.

Autotrophs produce their own food using light or chemical energy, while lithotrophs specifically derive energy from inorganic substances.

Autotrophs are primary producers, converting inorganic carbon into organic matter. Lithotrophs contribute to nutrient cycling and primary production, especially in environments without light.

Nitrifying bacteria, a type of lithotroph, convert ammonia into nitrites and nitrates, essential steps in the nitrogen cycle.

Autotrophs have evolved various strategies, such as different photosynthetic pigments and water-conservation mechanisms, to thrive in a wide range of conditions.

They are often found in extreme environments, such as deep-sea vents or sulfur springs, where light is unavailable.

They form the basis of food chains by producing organic matter from inorganic substances, supporting all other life forms.

Chemosynthesis is a process where organisms produce organic compounds using energy derived from chemical reactions involving inorganic substances, a key feature of lithotrophs.

Yes, lithotrophs can thrive in environments without sunlight by utilizing chemical energy from inorganic substances.

Photoautotrophs, such as plants and algae, produce oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis, contributing to Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere.

Lithotrophs drive critical transformations in biogeochemical cycles, such as the nitrogen and sulfur cycles, by recycling inorganic substances.