1. the theory that chance is involved in evolution and that variation within a species is accidental. 2. the belief that chance rather than mere determinism operates in the cosmos. Cf. uniformitarianism. 1. Philosophy. a doctrine that the universe is governed only by rigid, unexceptionable law.
Share this set. an organism that produces its own nutrients from inorganic substances or from the environment instead of consuming other organisms. Autotroph. an organism that produces its own nutrients from inorganic substances or from the environment instead of consuming other organisms.
From Wikipedia. Autotroph. An autotroph, also called a producer, is an organism that produces complex organic compound s (such as carbohydrate s, fat s, and protein s) from simple inorganic molecules using energy from light (by photosynthesis) or inorganic chemical reactions (chemosynthesis).hus, heterotrophs animals, fungi, as well as most bacteria and protozoa depend on autotrophs for both energy and raw materials to make complex organic molecules. This mechanism is called primary production in the sea. Heterotrophs obtain energy by breaking down organic molecules obtained in food.