Chemosynthesis is a kind of autotrophic nutrition

In nature, there are several ways of feeding the body. They depend on the characteristics of the structure, development and conditions of the organism. Chemosynthesis is one of them. For which organisms is it characteristic and under what conditions is it possible? These and other questions will be answered by our article.

Autotrophic organisms

The two main ways of feeding organisms are hetero- and autotrophic. At first, the assimilation of ready nutrients: proteins, lipids and carbohydrates takes place. So eat animals, mushrooms, some bacteria. Autotrophs are able to independently synthesize organic substances from inorganic substances under certain conditions. This group of organisms includes plants and a special group of bacteria.

Varieties of the autotrophic method of nutrition are photosynthesis and chemosynthesis. Their main difference lies in the source of energy for life. Chemosynthesis is a method of nutrition in which oxidation of inorganic compounds occurs. Not all living organisms can accomplish this process .

Hemotrophs

The process of chemosynthesis, discovered in 1887 by the famous Russian scientist SN Vinogradov, is characteristic of a special group of unicellular prokaryotes. These include iron, sulfur and nitrifying bacteria. They all oxidize the corresponding non-organic substances. Thus, as a result of the chemical oxidation reaction, iron is converted from bivalve to trivalent. And hydrogen sulphide - in a simple substance, i.e. sulfur. Nitrifying bacteria are of particular importance in nature.

When decomposing and decomposing organic matter, ammonia is released. A group of nitrifying bacteria oxidizes this substance to nitric acid. Dissolving in water, this substance forms soluble salts. As a result, plants, sucking them from the soil, are enriched with nitrogen, the presence of which is a necessary condition for the development of the root system. Thus, chemosynthesis is a process that provides the necessary substances with different groups of organisms simultaneously.

Phototrophs

Another group of autotrophic organisms are plants. They use sunlight to produce organic substances. Therefore, the way they are fed is also called phototrophic. This process is possible only in special organelles of cells - chloroplasts. They contain a coloring substance - pigment chlorophyll.

It is he who stains photosynthetic parts of autotrophic organisms in green color. Also, the necessary condition for this process is the presence of water and carbon dioxide, which is released as a result of the breathing of living organisms. The process of photosynthesis has an important planetary significance. The fact is that as a result of its course, not only glucose carbohydrate is formed, which is used by phototrophs as a source of energy, but also oxygen. And without this gas, the process of breathing is impossible, which means that life itself.

The difference between chemosynthesis and photosynthesis

Despite the fact that the two processes considered above are varieties of the autotrophic method of nutrition, they also have a number of significant differences.

Photosynthesis is impossible without light. In addition, it occurs only in the presence of chloroplasts in cells. Chemosynthesis is a process that occurs without these conditions, but only in bacterial cells.

They differ in their biological significance. Phototrophs provide all living with oxygen. Bacteria carry out a cycle of nitrogen, sulfur and other substances.

Another important difference is the result obtained directly by autotrophic organisms for themselves. Photosynthetic plants form a glucose carbohydrate. Uniting, the molecules of this substance create polysaccharide starch. It is a reserve nutrient of plants. Hemotrophs synthesize organic substances not directly, but through ATP-adenosine triphosphoric acid molecules. This substance is a kind of energy accumulator in the cells of living organisms. If necessary, it splits. This process takes place in several stages, in each of which a certain amount of energy is released. Her and use hemotrophs for the implementation of vital processes.

Thus, photosynthesis and chemosynthesis are varieties of the autotrophic way of feeding of living organisms, which themselves produce the energy necessary for the processes of their growth and development.