lecture 1: Primary production

one lab only

compulsory field course

download textbook

presentations to be prepared (pass/not pass)

the book is important for the exam

curriculum

  • textbook

  • cinetific papers

  • field course - presentations, methods

  • lectures

primary production

  • primary production is the basis for (almost all) life on earth

  • it is when carbon dioxide and water are combined with the energy of the sun (light), aka, photosynthesis, and gives more complex products like organic material and oxygen

  • seagrass → higher plants, very different to seaweed, have very specific requirements, has roots into the sediment

  • kelp → algae, is rooted to rocks by (find out what its called. its not root) or has no anchor and can be floating

  • mangroves → most of their biomass are above sea level, but have their roots under the water

  • all of these are decreasing in population, but corals are having it the worst

sediment

  • slide 4

  • no oxygen production in the dark

  • however, there is oxygen production when there is light

  • the produciton of oxygen here is much less than the kelp along the shoreline

global annual production

global carbon storage

slide 7

  • comparing all the aquatic ecosystems, mangroves have the highest carbon storage

sea water is not always crystal clear

  • benthic primary production is mainly in the coastal

  • maybe max 20 - 30 meters in depth

  • most of hte benthic primary production will be in shallow water

high primary production

  • intense local production, 2 or more kg C/m2/yr, compared to most terrestrial and planktonic systems with < 1 kg C/m2/yr