Chemoautotrophs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Living organisms that synthesize their own food by using energy released from the oxidation of inorganic substances like hydrogen sulfide or ammonia rather than from sunlight
2. Microorganisms capable of generating cellular energy through chemical reactions with inorganic compounds, enabling them to produce organic matter without requiring light
3. Autotrophic organisms that harness energy from the chemical oxidation of inorganic elements and compounds to build organic molecules and sustain life

Etymology: "Chemoautotrophs" is the plural of "chemoautotroph," a compound built from three parts. The first, "chemo-," is a combining form from "chemistry," signalling that the organism draws its energy from chemical reactions. "Auto-" comes from the Ancient Greek "autos," meaning "self," and "-troph" comes from "trophē," meaning "nourishment." An "autotroph" is therefore a self-feeding organism, one that builds its own food from simple inorganic materials rather than eating other living things. Put together, a chemoautotroph is an organism that makes its own food from carbon dioxide while powering the process with inorganic chemical energy rather than sunlight. The contrast with plants is the key: plants are photoautotrophs, using light, while chemoautotrophs use chemistry, such as oxidizing hydrogen sulfide, ammonia or iron. Because the "chemo-" and "auto-" elements are modern scientific building blocks, the compound is a technical coinage rather than an ancient word, assembled from Greek parts to name a concept that only became clear with later microbiology.

Synonyms: chemolithotrophs