Synopsis

1. Nutrition

• Autotrophic Nutrition: Organisms, like plants, make their own food using sunlight and inorganic substances.
• Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use sunlight to make their own food. It takes place in the chloroplasts, where plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.
• Photosynthesis has two main stages: light reactions takes place in grana region (which produce energy, ATP & NADPH, and oxygen) and dark reactions takes place in stroma region (which create glucose).
• The end products of photosynthesis are glucose, water and oxygen. Photosynthesis is crucial for providing energy to plants and oxygen for all living organisms.
• Heterotrophic Nutrition: Organisms, like animals and humans, obtain their food by consuming other organisms.
• In human beings the food eaten is broken down in various steps with the help of enzymes secreted by digestive glands which are associated with the alimentary canal and the digested food is absorbed in small intestine to be sent to all cells in the body.
• Saprotrophic Nutrition: Organisms, like fungi and bacteria, feed on decaying organic matter to absorb nutrients.
• Parasitic Nutrition: Organisms, like cuscuta and bacteria, live on or inside other organisms (hosts) and derive nutrients directly from them.
• Malnutrition results from insufficient or unbalanced nutrient intake, leading to health issues like stunted growth and weakened immunity. It can be caused by a lack of essential vitamins, minerals, proteins, or calories. Proper nutrition and access to a balanced diet are crucial for preventing and treating malnutrition.