NUTRITION- All organisms need energy to perform various life processes.

Energy is necessary
because it allows organisms to move, respire, and digest, to name few body processes. Also the process
of providing or obtaining food necessary for health, survival, and growth of an organism. Through
process an organism takes in, digests, and uses different substances obtained from various food sources
the substances was called nutrients, that provide energy for the organisms metabolic processes such as
growth, maintenance, reproduction, and even immunity.

Macronutrients
Cells are essentially a well-organized assemblage of macromolecules and water. Recall that
macromolecules are produced by the polymerization of smaller units called monomers. For cells to
build all of the molecules required to sustain life, they need certain substances, collectively
called nutrients. When prokaryotes grow, they obtain their nutrients from the environment.
Nutrients that are required in large amounts are called macronutrients, whereas those required
in smaller or trace amounts are called micronutrients. Just a handful of elements are considered
macronutrients—carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.
Micronutrients
In addition to these macronutrients, prokaryotes require various metallic elements in small amounts.
These are referred to as micronutrients or trace elements. For example, iron is necessary for the
function of the cytochromes involved in electron-transport reactions. Some prokaryotes require other
elements such as boron (B), chromium (Cr), and manganese (Mn), primarily as enzyme cofactors.

Essential Nutrients
• Plants require only light, water and about 20 elements to support all their biochemical needs: these 20
elements are called essential nutrients. For an element to be regarded as essential, three criteria are
required: 1) a plant cannot complete its life cycle without the element; 2) no other element can
perform the function of the element; and 3) the element is directly involved in plant nutrition.
Macronutrients and Micronutrients
• The essential elements can be divided into two groups: macronutrients and micronutrients. Nutrients
that plants require in larger amounts are called macronutrients. About half of the essential elements are
considered macronutrients: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium,
magnesium and sulfur. The first of these macronutrients, carbon (C), is required to form
carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, and many other compounds; it is therefore present in all
macromolecules. On average, the dry weight (excluding water) of a cell is 50 percent carbon. As
shown below, carbon is a key part of plant biomolecules.
Essential Elements for Plant Growth

Macronutrients Micronutrients

Carbon (C) Iron (Fe)

Hydrogen (H) Manganese (Mn)

Oxygen (O) Boron (B)

Nitrogen (N) Molybdenum (Mo)

Phosphorus (P) Copper (Cu)

Potassium (K) Zinc (Zn)

Calcium (Ca) Chlorine (Cl)

Magnesium (Mg) Nickel (Ni)

Sulfur (S) Cobalt (Co)

Sodium (Na)

Silicon (Si)
MODES OF NUTRITION

1. AUTOTROPHIC- the organisms can manufactured their own nutrients by synthesizing

inorganic materials and depending on the energy source.
»Two types of autotrophic the Photoautotrophic and Chemoautotrophic

PHOTOAUTOTROPHIC- the organisms directly use the

energy from the sun and other inorganic substances
such as carbon dioxide and water to form organic food.
Other example of these are the SOME form of bacteria
and protist
 CHEMOAUTOTROPHIC- the organisms use chemical to create simpler organic substances
important for their survival. Most bacteria and members of the group Archaea that live in
extreme environments such as volcanoes and deep sea vents are classified in this group. The
common inorganic substances synthesized by the chemoautotrophic include hydrogen sulfide,
sulfur, and ammonia.

Black smoker vent in ATLANTIC OCEAN iron bacteria (Thiobacillus

Ferrooxidans)
2. HETEROTROPHIC- the organisms that cannot make their own food, and thus obtain
their energy by digesting organic matter, this include all animals, fungi, and some
bacteria.
» Classified into 3 types the SAPROPHYTIC, PARASITIC, and HOLOZOIC NUTRITION.

SAPROPHYTIC- the organisms obtain their

t
nutrients from dead organic matter. These
organisms secrete digestive juices to the
surroundings, which will be later absorbed
through their body surface that include fungi and
bacteria.
PARASITIC- an organism takes food another organisms this type of nutrition is exhibited by
some plants and animals. The organisms that takes food is called PARASITES, and the organisms
from where the food is taken is called HOST and parasite can either outside or inside of the host.
Examples of these are fleas, tapeworms and barnacles.
*The PARASITIC have 2 types the:
(A). ECTOPARASITISM
(B). ENDOPARASITISM
 A. ECTOPARASITISM- type of parasitism
happens when the parasite is outside the body
of the host. Example is a mosquito.

B. ENDOPARASITISM- type of parasitism

involves parasites that live inside the body of the
host. Example is a roundworm.
Nutrients from Other Sources
Some plants cannot produce their own food and must
obtain their nutrition from outside sources. This may occur
with plants that are parasitic or saprophytic. Some plants
are mutualistic symbionts, epiphytes, or insectivorous.
Parasitic Plants
A parasitic plant depends on its host for survival. Some parasitic plants have no
leaves. An example of this is the dodder, which has a weak, cylindrical stem that
coils around the host and forms suckers. From these suckers, cells invade the
host stem and grow to connect with the vascular bundles of the host. The
parasitic plant obtains water and nutrients through these connections. The plant
is a total parasite (a holoparasite) because it is completely dependent on its host.
Other parasitic plants (hemiparasites) are fully photosynthetic and only use the
host for water and minerals. There are about 4,100 species of parasitic plants.
 Saprophytes
A saprophyte is a plant that does not have
chlorophyll and gets its food from dead matter,
similar to bacteria and fungi (note that fungi are
often called saprophytes, which is incorrect,
because fungi are not plants). Plants like these
use enzymes to convert organic food materials
into simpler forms from which they can absorb
nutrients. Most saprophytes do not directly
Photo shows a plant with light pink stems reminiscent digest dead matter: instead, they parasitize fungi
of asparagus. Bud-like appendages grow from the tips that digest dead matter, or are mycorrhizal,
of the stems. Saprophytes, like this Dutchmen pipe ultimately obtaining photosynthate from a
(Monotropa hypopitys), obtain their food from dead fungus that derived photosynthate from its host.
matter and do not have chlorophyll. (credit: Saprophytic plants are uncommon; only a few
modification of work by Iwona Erskine-Kellie) species are described.
Symbionts
A symbiont is a plant in a symbiotic relationship, with special adaptations such
as mycorrhizae or nodule formation. Fungi also form symbiotic associations
with cyanobacteria and green algae (called lichens). Lichens can sometimes be
seen as colorful growths on the surface of rocks and trees. The algal partner
(phycobiont) makes food autotrophically, some of which it shares with the
fungus; the fungal partner (mycobiont) absorbs water and minerals from the
environment, which are made available to the green alga. If one partner was
separated from the other, they would both die.
 
Epiphytes
An epiphyte is a plant that grows on other plants, but is not dependent upon the
other plant for nutrition. Epiphytes have two types of roots: clinging aerial
roots, which absorb nutrients from humus that accumulates in the crevices of
trees; and aerial roots, which absorb moisture from the atmosphere.
Insectivorous Plants
An insectivorous plant has specialized leaves to attract and digest insects. The
Venus flytrap is popularly known for its insectivorous mode of nutrition, and
has leaves that work as traps. The minerals it obtains from prey compensate for
those lacking in the boggy (low pH) soil of its native North Carolina coastal
plains. There are three sensitive hairs in the center of each half of each leaf. The
edges of each leaf are covered with long spines. Nectar secreted by the plant
attracts flies to the leaf. When a fly touches the sensory hairs, the leaf
immediately closes. Next, fluids and enzymes break down the prey and minerals
are absorbed by the leaf. Since this plant is popular in the horticultural trade, it
is threatened in its original habitat.
HOLOZOIC- organisms ingest solid or liquid food. The food is then digest and absorbed by
the body. This type od nutrition is subdivided based on the type of organic matter ingested.
Example of this is amoeba and dogs.
*The HOLOZOIC have 3 types: (A).HERBIVOROUS (B)CARNIVOROUS
(C)OMNIVOROUS

the
A. HERBIVOROUS- organisms that take in only plants as source of their energy are classified as
HERBIVORES. The SHEEP, rabbits, and cows are the examples.

B. CARNIVOROUS- organisms that eat other animals are called CARNIVORES. The TIGERS, shark,
lion are the examples.

C. OMNIVOROUS- organism that take in both plants and animals are called OMNIVORES. The
BEARS, hens, and pigs are the examples.