Which term refers to organisms that can produce their own food using light or chemical energy?

The term that refers to organisms capable of producing their own food using light or chemical energy is autotrophs. Autotrophs are classified into two main categories: photoautotrophs, which use light energy (e.g., plants and certain bacteria), and chemoautotrophs, which obtain energy from chemical reactions (e.g., certain bacteria that oxidize inorganic substances).

This means that autotrophs play a crucial role in ecosystems as primary producers, forming the base of the food chain by converting inorganic substances into organic matter. This ability to synthesize their own food distinguishes them from heterotrophs, which rely on consuming other organisms for energy and nutrients. Understanding these categories is fundamental in microbiology, as they describe how different life forms obtain energy and sustain themselves within their environments.