Assimilation

Definition

Assimilation refers to the process in which plants and animals take up nutrients from their environment and incorporate them into their own tissues for growth and development.

Related terms

Photosynthesis:

The process by which green plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (energy-rich organic molecules) and oxygen.

Transpiration:

The loss of water vapor from plant leaves through stomata, helping to transport nutrients from roots to shoots.

Herbivore: An animal that primarily feeds on plants, obtaining nutrients through assimilation of plant tissues.