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.
An autotroph or producer, is an organism that produces complex organic compounds from simple substances present in its surroundings, generally using energy from light or inorganic chemical reactions. They are the producers in a food chain, such as plants on land or algae in water. They do not need a living source of energy or organic carbon. Autotrophs can reduce carbon dioxide to make organic compounds for biosynthesis and also create a store of chemical energy. Most autotrophs use water as the