Quantitive study of food webs

Question 1

definition od biomass

Answer 1

it refers to the weight or the mass of living organisms it is expressed as the dry weight (without water) and it is the organic matter which means energy

Question 2

Primary productivity

Answer 2

Primary productivity means the quantity of biomass or energy produced by producers it is divided into GPP, R and NPP

NPP = GPP - R

NPP will transfer to Consumers

Question 3

GPP, R and NPP

Answer 3

gross primary productivity GPP: it is the total quantity of biomass energy produced through photosynthesis

heat loss due to cellular respiration R: part of GPP is going to be used by the producer as heat loss due to respiration

Net primary productivity NPP: the quantity of biomass or energy produced after subtracting heat loss

Question 4

secondary productivity

Answer 4

it refers to the quantity of energy or biomass produced by consumers it is divided into GSP, NU, I and NSP

NSP = I - (NU+R)

Question 5

GSP, UN and NSP

Answer 5

GSP: is the total quantity of biomass within a consumer after subtracting the not used biomass (NU)

I:it means the quantity of biomass ingested by the consumer

NSP: The quantity of biomass produced by the consumer and that’s going to be used by the next one after subtracting the heat loss