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.
This is exactly what autotrophs do. Autotrophs are self-feeders, and they get their energy from non-living sources such as the sun and carbon dioxide. Autotrophs are called producers because they provide energy and food sources for all heterotrophic organisms. Types of Autotrophs. There are two types of autotrophs: photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs. Photoautotrophs get their energy from sunlight and convert it into usable energy (sugar). This process is called photosynthesis.