Question

Which ecosystem has the highest gross primary productivity $?$

Answer 1

Introduction to gross primary productivity

Productivity of an ecosystem refers to the rate at which organic matter/biomass is produced per unit area.

Gross primary productivity (GPP) refers to the rate of production of organic matter during photosynthesis, per unit area.

It is expressed in terms of weight $\left({\text{gm}}^{-2}{\text{year}}^{-1}\right)$ or energy $\left({\text{kcal m}}^{-2}{\text{year}}^{-1}\right).$

Highest GPP

Coral reefs and estuaries have the highest gross primary productivity in all aquatic ecosystems.

Coral reefs have a huge abundance of phytoplanktons and other aquatic producers which contribute to the high productivity in this ecosystem.

The GPP value of coral reefs is much higher than terrestrial ecosystems such as deserts and grasslands because due to extreme conditions deserts have a scanty vegetation and the vegetation of grasslands is majorly composed of grasses only.