Which of the following best describes gross primary productivity in an ecosystem?
The answer choices are:
- Gross primary productivity is the total amount of energy captured by producers plus the energy used by consumers over time.
- Gross primary productivity is the total amount of energy captured by producers minus the energy that producers respire over time.
- Gross primary productivity is the total amount of energy lost as heat during energy transfer between trophic levels.
- Gross primary productivity is the total amount of energy captured by producers over time.
The correct answer is:
“Gross primary productivity is the total amount of energy captured by producers over time.”
Gross primary productivity refers to the total energy captured through photosynthesis or other processes by producers in an ecosystem.