Net primary productivity is the gross primary productivity minus energy
that is consumed by the producer in metabolism
Gross primary productivity or GPP is the rate at which energy is captured or organic matter synthesised by the producers per unit area and time. Net primary productivity or NPP is a measure of the remaining energy or biomass left after meeting the cost of respiration and maintenance for the producers. This energy is available for the heterotrophs. This relationship between NPP and GPP can be simplified by the following equation: NPP = GPP – R (R = respiration and metabolism losses in the producers).