what do you call an organism that can manufacture its own food
autotrophs An autotroph (from the Greek autos = self and trophe = nutrition) is an organism that produces organic compounds from carbon dioxide as a carbon source, using either light or reactions of inorganic chemical compounds, as a source of energy. An autotroph is known as a producer in a food chain. Plants and other organisms that carry out photosynthesis are phototrophs (or photoautotrophs). Bacteria that utilize the oxidation of inorganic compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonium or ferrous iron as an energy source are chemoautotrophs. Aloha. Source(s): http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/exped...