Producers
Some of the solar energy that reaches Earth fuels ecosystems. How does that work?
Organisms called producers (like plants, algae, and cyanobacteria) capture solar energy, in the form of photons, and convert it to chemical energy using a series of reactions called photosynthesis. Chemical energy is stored in cells in the chemical bonds of sugars and other molecules.
Algae are eukaryotic organisms that typically live in water and perform photosynthesis. Types of algae include seaweed (such as kelp) and some single-celled organisms (such as dinoflagellates).
Cyanobacteria are a group of bacteria, often colored blue or green, that perform photosynthesis.
