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The Role of Plants in the Food Chain

Author: Nathan Lampson

 

Plants convert inorganic material into organic material. Inorganic material are chemicals found in nature that can't be used as energy for most living things.  Organic material can be used as a source of energy for living organisms.

Chlorophyll is a pigment found in the chloroplasts of plants.  Chlorophyll allows plants to absorb light energy from the sun and use it in a process called photosynthesis.   Plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide during photosynthesis in order to produce oxygen and organic material.

Bacteria found on the roots of plants fix nitrogen to other molecules making nitrogen available to plants for use.  The process of fixing nitrogen to other molecules is called nitrogen fixation.  Plants use nitrogen in order to make pigments found in the chloroplasts of the cell.

The Role of Plants in the Food Chain