Primary Producers

Definition

Primary producers are organisms that produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. They form the base of the food chain by converting energy from the sun or chemicals into usable nutrients.

Related terms

Photosynthesis:

The process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that can later be released to fuel the organisms' activities.

Chemosynthesis: The synthesis of organic compounds within an organism, with chemical reactions providing the energy source.

Autotrophs:

Organisms capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances using light or heat as a source of energy.