What is the difference between gross and net primary productivity?

Gross primary productivity is the total amount of energy produced by photosynthesis, while net primary productivity is the energy available for consumption by organisms.

Plants use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy, which is then used to fuel their growth and reproduction. Gross primary productivity (GPP) is the total amount of energy produced by photosynthesis in an ecosystem. This includes all the energy used by plants for respiration and growth, as well as the energy that is stored in plant tissues. For more details on the process, refer to the fundamentals of photosynthesis.

However, not all of this energy is available for consumption by other organisms. Some of it is used by plants for their own metabolic processes, and some is lost as heat during respiration. Net primary productivity (NPP) is the energy that is left over after plants have used some of the energy for their own needs. This is the energy that is available for consumption by other organisms in the ecosystem. Understanding the energy and macromolecule exchange in living systems can provide more insight into this concept.

NPP is an important measure of the productivity of an ecosystem, as it represents the amount of energy available to support the growth and reproduction of herbivores and other organisms. It is also an important indicator of the health of an ecosystem, as changes in NPP can indicate changes in the availability of resources or the impact of environmental stressors such as climate change or pollution. Additionally, knowing about water's structural hierarchy can provide a broader understanding of the factors affecting primary productivity.

A-Level Biology Tutor Summary: Gross primary productivity (GPP) is the total energy made by plants through photosynthesis. Net primary productivity (NPP) is the leftover energy after plants use some for their own needs. NPP is crucial as it shows the energy available for other organisms and indicates the ecosystem's health. Changes in NPP can signal environmental issues like pollution or climate change.