Primary production

Primary production is the formation of organic matter from inorganic carbon by organisms in an ecosystem, through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Photosynthesis: The process by which organisms use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic compounds. It is the main pathway by which ecosystems convert inorganic carbon into organic matter.
Gross primary production: The total rate at which primary producers fix carbon before subtracting their own respiration. It measures all carbon fixed by producers, including carbon they later consume.
Ocean color: The color of ocean water as shaped by its substances and particles, including phytoplankton pigments. Satellite observations of ocean color help estimate marine production across broad areas.
Amazon rainforest: A vast tropical rainforest in the Amazon Basin of South America. Its high biomass and rapid growth make it a major site of terrestrial production.
Carbon sequestration: The capture and long-term storage of carbon in reservoirs such as vegetation, soils, and oceans. Production can increase carbon storage when organic matter persists rather than decomposes quickly.
Chemosynthesis: The production of organic compounds using energy from chemical reactions rather than sunlight. It supports primary production where light is unavailable, especially around some hydrothermal vents.
Net primary production: The rate at which primary producers accumulate biomass after subtracting their own respiration from gross production. It expresses the new plant or microbial material available for growth and consumption.
Chlorophyll fluorescence: Light emitted by chlorophyll after absorption, revealing aspects of photosynthetic activity. Fluorescence measurements help assess how efficiently plants and phytoplankton use absorbed light.
Southern Ocean: The ocean surrounding Antarctica, defined by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Seasonal phytoplankton blooms make its production highly variable.
Biodiversity: The variety of life across genes, species, and ecosystems. Differences in production help determine which species and ecological interactions an ecosystem can sustain.

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