chemotrofe
Chemotrophs are organisms that obtain their energy by oxidizing chemical compounds rather than by capturing light energy. They derive energy from redox reactions that involve inorganic or organic substrates. Chemotrophy is one of the major energy-harvesting strategies in biology, distinct from phototrophy, in which light powers energy capture.
Chemotrophs are commonly divided into chemoorganotrophs, which use organic compounds as electron donors and energy sources,
Depending on their carbon source, chemotrophs may be autotrophic, fixing CO2 into biomass, or heterotrophic, using
Chemotrophs play crucial roles in ecosystems, particularly in environments lacking light, such as soil horizons, sediments,
Historically, chemotrophy was described after early microbial studies showing organisms obtaining energy from inorganic and organic