In ecology, the term productivity refers to the rate at which biomass is produced in an ecosystem. It is typically expressed in units of mass per unit volume (unit surface) per unit of time, such as grammes per square metre per day (g m2 d1), but it can also be expressed in units of mass per unit surface per unit of time. The unit of mass can refer to either dry matter or the mass of carbon that has been created. Primary productivity refers to the productivity of autotrophs, such as plants, whereas secondary productivity refers to the output of heterotrophs, such as animals, and is the product of both primary and secondary productivity.
What is the definition of Productivity?
Generally speaking, the term “productivity” refers to the rate at which biomass is produced in an ecosystem. It can also be referred to as the energy stored in plants as a result of their photosynthetic activity. Productivity can be classified into two categories:
- Productivity in the Primary Sector
- Productivity in the Secondary Sector
Productivity in the Primary Sector
Primary Productivity is defined as the amount of biomass produced by autotrophic organisms such as plants per unit of time. Among the many processes that take place during photosynthesis is the formation of organic material from inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide and water. The primary production of an organisation can be separated into two categories:
- Gross primary productivity is the sum of all of a company’s output in a given year.
- Net primary productivity is the sum of all of a company’s primary productivity.
- Gross primary productivity is the sum of all of a company’s output in a given year.
Gross primary productivity is the amount of solar energy captured by a photosynthetic organism in a given period. The total amount of organic matter produced is referred to as gross primary productivity. According to the amount of photosynthetic activity and the surrounding environment,
- Net primary productivity is the sum of all of a company’s primary productivity.
This is calculated by subtracting the gross production from the energy lost through respiration.
NPP = GPP – the amount of energy lost through respiration
It is the total amount of energy stored in the plants. This energy is used to produce food for the animals that eat plants for their nourishment. When it comes to organic matter production in a community, it is measured as the amount of organic matter created in a certain period. Over a year, over 170 billion tonnes of net primary productivity are produced across the whole biosphere.
Productivity in the Secondary Sector
Animals and other heterotrophs have an impact on Secondary Productivity. It refers to the accumulation of energy at the level of the consumer. In contrast to primary productivity, it is constantly migrating from one organism to another. This process occurs as a result of organic elements being moved between trophic levels at different degrees of development. It is referred to as the rate of increase in the biomass of heterotrophs in other contexts as well. Secondary Production is influenced by organisms such as mammals, fungi, bacteria, and a wide variety of protists.
Productivity is measured in units of productivity.
Standard productivity measures are units of mass per unit volume (or surface) per unit time (or vice versa).
Conclusion
From the following article we can conclude that In ecology, productivity refers to the rate of biomass production as an ecosystem, commonly given in mass per volume (surface) per time (g m2 d1). The mass unit can refer to dry materials or produced carbon. Primary productivity is that of autotrophs like plants, while secondary productivity is that of heterotrophs like animals.