Question

Energy stored at consumer level is known as

• A. net community productivity
• B. gross primary productivity
• C. Net primary productivity
• D. Secondary productivity

Answer 1

The correct option is D Secondary productivity

Producers in the ecosystem capture the sunlight and convert it into biomass. The rate at which sunlight is captured by the producers for the synthesis of energy- rich organic compounds is the productivity. Productivity is of different types, like-

• primary productivity
• gross primary productivity
• net primary productivity
• secondary productivity

The amount of biomass over a specific period of time produced per unit area by the photosynthetic autotrophs is called primary productivity. The rate of total energy production by green plants per unit area per unit time is the Gross Primary Productivity (GPP). A fraction of the amount of the GPP is utilised by the plant itself in respiration, and the energy left after respiration which is stored as organic matter by the producer and is transferred to the next level is called Net Primary Productivity (NPP).

The NPP that is stored at the producer level is then transferred to the higher categories of the ecosystem i.e. to the consumers. The rate of assimilation of food energy at the level of consumers is the secondary productivity; which is again transferred to the next trophic level.