This picture is an example of early autrophs. Click on image for full size (122K jpeg) Image courtesy of Corel Photography

Organisms that are able to make their own food by using the energy of the Sun are called autotrophs. Photosynthesis is the name of the process by which these autotrophs eat.

Because the autotrophic bacteria were able to feed themselves by using the energy of the Sun, they were no longer dependent on the same limited food supply as the earliest life and were able to grow and multiply. Over millions of years of evolution, these sun loving bacteria eventually led to modern day plants.

The appearance of organisms capable of photosynthesis was very significant -- if it weren't for the photosynthetic activity of these early bacteria, Earth's air would still be without oxygen and animals which need oxygen, including humans, could never have even begun!

This picture is an example of early autotrophs. Click on image for full size (122K jpeg) Image courtesy of Corel Photography

Organisms that are able to make their own food (in the form of sugars) by using the energy of the Sun are called autotrophs, meaning "self-feeders". Photosynthesis is the name of the process by which these autotrophs use energy from the sun and eat.

Because the autotrophic bacteria were able to feed themselves by using the energy of the Sun, they were no longer dependent on the same limited food supply as their ancestors and were able to flourish. Over millions of years of evolution, photosynthetic bacteria eventually gave rise to modern day plants.

The appearance of organisms capable of performing photosynthesis was very significant -- if it weren't for the photosynthetic activity of these early bacteria, Earth's atmosphere would still be without oxygen and the appearance of oxygen-dependent animals, including humans, would never have occurred!

This picture is an example of early autotrophs. Click on image for full size (122K jpeg) Image courtesy of Corel Photography

Organisms that are able to make their own food (in the form of sugars) by using the energy of the Sun are called autotrophs, meaning "self-feeders". Photosynthesis is the name of the process through which these autotrophs covert solar energy to biological energy.

Because the autotrophic bacteria were no longer dependent on the same limited food supply as their heterotrophic ancestors, they were able to flourish. Photosynthesis was mostly along sulphur or methane pathways, however, and not the familiar carbon dioxide pathway most plants use today. Moreover, these photosynthetic pathways are not oxygenic (O₂ is not produced). The following is an example:

As a result of the activity of these bacteria, S began to build up in the world's atmosphere and oceans. The production of atmospheric O₂ became possible only later after the oxidation state of the oceans changed.