Carbon source (biology)
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
A carbon source is a carbon-containing molecule that is used by an organism to synthesise biomass. Such sources may be organic or inorganic. Heterotrophs must use organic molecules as a source of both carbon and energy. In contrast, autotrophs may use inorganic materials as a source for both, such as inorganic chemical energy (chemolithotrophs) or light (photoautotrophs). The carbon cycle, which begins with an inorganic carbon source (such as carbon dioxide) and progresses through the biological carbon fixation process, includes the biological use of carbon as one of its components.[1]
Types of organism by carbon source[edit]
Autotrophs[edit]
Heterotrophs[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Morris, J. et al. (2019). "Biology: How Life Works", 3rd edition, W. H. Freeman. ISBN 978-1319017637
- ^ Chang, Kenneth (12 September 2016). "Visions of Life on Mars in Earth's Depths". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ "heterotroph". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.
- ^ "heterotroph". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary.
- ^ "Heterotroph Definition". Biology Dictionary. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ Hogg, Stuart (2013). Essential Microbiology (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-119-97890-9.
- ^ "How Cells Harvest Energy" (PDF). McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
- ^ Lwoff, A.; C.B. van Niel; P.J. Ryan; E.L. Tatum (1946). Nomenclature of nutritional types of microorganisms (PDF). Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology. Vol. XI (5th ed.). Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.: The Biological Laboratory. pp. 302–303. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 November 2017.