Use the evidence in the text to select the photosynthetic organism.
The barrel cactus is a producer in its ecosystem, so the cactus makes its own food inside its cells. The barrel cactus lives in deserts and uses energy from sunlight to make food. The crown-of-thorns starfish is a consumer in its ecosystem, so it eats other organisms for food. Crown-of-thorns starfish eat coral and are known for damaging coral reefs.
Organisms that carry out photosynthesis are called photosynthetic organisms. During photosynthesis, these organisms use light energy, carbon dioxide, and water to produce sugars and oxygen.
Photosynthetic organisms also often have the following characteristics:
They are producers, which are organisms that make their own food inside their cells. Because producers make their own food, they typically do not eat other organisms.
Their cells contain chloroplasts, which are cell structures where photosynthesis occurs.
Their chloroplasts often contain a green substance called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll captures light energy from the Sun to power photosynthesis.
They use the sugars they produce during photosynthesis as food. This food provides energy that helps the organisms live, grow, and reproduce.
This organism is photosynthetic:
The text tells you that a barrel cactus is a producer that uses energy from sunlight to make its own food. This is evidence that the barrel cactus is a photosynthetic organism.
This organism is not photosynthetic:
The text does not provide evidence that the crown-of-thorns starfish is photosynthetic.