Primary productivity is defined in ecological terms as the production of organic compounds by the biological process of photosynthesis. In other words, it is the number of organic compounds produced per unit of time. Also known as the rate at which solar energy is converted into organic substances by the process of photosynthetic and chemosynthetic autotrophs, this term refers to how quickly solar energy is converted into organic substances.
When it comes to producing complex organic molecules, solar energy is the primary source of energy used in the primary production process. Primary productivity can be divided into two categories:
- In an ecosystem, gross primary productivity (GPP) refers to the total amount of energy produced.
- The amount of energy expended by the producer in the process of respiration is known as net primary productivity.
It is possible to achieve a high primary productivity rate in ecosystems when the physical factors (for example, water, nutrients, and climate) are favourable. The presence of certain types of secondary energy can also contribute to an increase in the rate of primary productivity. Estuaries, for example, are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet, and they are a good example. In estuaries, freshwater meets seawater for the first time. The plants that live there form a large photosynthetic carpet that covers the ground. Large amounts of food particles get trapped in the trunks and roots of plants, which decompose once their vital cycle is completed, thereby replenishing the ecosystem’s supply of organic matter. Tides provide secondary energy in this area, which on the one hand promotes the rapid flow of nutrients and on the other hand promotes the disposal of waste produced by the organisms that live there (sea bass, gilthead, mullet) so that they do not have to expend energy in search of food or in disposing of waste and can grow more quickly.
Marine primary productivity:
Because of species complementarity and a selection effect, increasing the number of species in autotrophic communities can increase ecosystem productivity. A selection effect occurs when the biomass of a community approaches that of a monoculture of the most productive species. This paper investigates the relationship between resource availability and marine primary productivity on the assumption that a high local species richness of phytoplankton communities leads to increased resource use through a transient selection of productive species during the summer months. In a temperate coastal ecosystem, we found that observed productivities are best described by a population growth model in which the dominant species of the community approach their maximum growth rates. Our interpretation of these findings is that they are evidence of species selection in communities with a diverse taxonomic repertoire. In open ocean data, which show an increase in species dominance across a gradient of nutrient availability, the presence of a selection effect was confirmed. These findings shed light on the way marine phytoplankton optimise resources while also ensuring the long-term viability of global food stocks. We propose that the preservation of phytoplankton species richness is essential for the preservation of marine primary productivity because it ensures the presence of highly productive species.
Example of primary productivity: The following are examples of primary production activities: farming, fishing, livestock rearing, and other methods of production.
Conclusion:
It is the rate at which energy is converted to organic substances by photosynthetic producers (photoautotrophs), which obtain energy and nutrients from sunlight, as well as chemosynthetic producers (chemoautotrophs), which obtain chemical energy from oxidation.
Primary productivity is defined in ecological terms as the production of organic compounds by the biological process of photosynthesis. Primary productivity is of two types that is net primary productivity and gross primary productivity. Because of species complementarity and a selection effect, increasing the number of species in autotrophic communities can increase ecosystem productivity. The preservation of phytoplankton species richness is essential for the preservation of marine primary productivity because it ensures the presence of highly productive species.