AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Algae, along with plants and some bacteria and fungi, are autotrophs. Autotrophs are the producers in the food chain, meaning they create their own nutrients and energy. Kelp, like most autotrophs, creates energy through a process called photosynthesis.

Detailed explanation-2: -A major difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs is that the former are able to make their own food by photosynthesis whereas the latter cannot.

Detailed explanation-3: -Autotrophs are organisms that produce new biomass from inorganic resources (carbon dioxide and mineral nutrients), using either light energy (photoautotrophs) or energy from reduced molecules in the environment (chemoautotrophs).

Detailed explanation-4: -Most autotrophs make their “food” through photosynthesis using the energy of the sun. Heterotrophs cannot make their own food, so they must eat or absorb it. Chemosynthesis is used to produce food using the chemical energy stored in inorganic molecule s.

Detailed explanation-5: -Heterotrophs are called consumers as they consume food prepared by autotrophs. Heterotrophs form the next trophic levels after plants in the food chain. Plants, algae, and some bacteria are autotrophs. Most animals, fungi, and some bacteria are heterotrophs.