Primary Productivity - APES

What is the word equation for the process of photosynthesis?

carbon dioxide + water + the sun's energy → glucose + oxygen

What is the word equation for cellular respiration?

glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + the sun's energy

What is meant by the term 'gross primary productivity'?

It is the total amount of chemical energy produced by autotrophs

What is the relationship between net primary productivity and gross product productivity? Write the equation.

NPP = GPP - R

What types of ecosystems have the highest productivity per unit area?

Estuaries, swamps and marshes, tropical rain forests, and temperate rain forests.

What ecosystems have the least amount of productivity per unit area?

Tundras, the open ocean, desert scrubs, and the extreme desert.

What ecosystems are the most productive in the world?

The open ocean and tropical/temperate rain forests.

What ecosystems are the least productive in the world?

Tundras and extreme deserts.

The ocean open does not contain as much life per unit area, but is responsible for a large amount of the Earth's NPP. Why?

Despite low population density, the total volume near the surface allows for high production of photosynthesis.

Why do you think tropical rain forests and marshes have high NPP?

Why should these areas be protected?

There is a lot of water for photosynthesis production.

Tropical rain forests and marshes help sustain life.

With the amount of sunlight it receives, why is the NPP of a desert so low?

There is not enough water for photosynthesis.

Why are cold regions some of the least productive places in the world?

The climate is too cold for photosynthesizing plants to live.

According to the second law of thermodynamics, the biomass stored in plants cannot all be used to feed other organisms. What percentage of the energy stored as biomass in plants is transferred, on average, to the next trophic level of the food chain?

Why?

10%

Describe three things that affect primary productivity.

Abiotic factors: solar radiation, nutrients
Biotic factors: zooplankton predation