Why is the primary productivity of ocean less than land?

In ocean, sunlight is the main limiting factor which decreases the rate of photosynthesis. Minerals and nutrients can also be a retarding factor based on location of the oceans.So, there will be less productivity than land which is 170 billion tons compared to 55 billion tons ion oceans.

Why is primary productivity of the open ocean lower than that of most terrestrial ecosystems?

° Estuaries and coral reefs also are very productive, but they cover only a small area compared to that covered by tropical rain forests. ° The open ocean has a relatively low production per unit area but contributes more net primary production than any other single ecosystem because of its very large size.

Where is primary productivity in the ocean the greatest Why?

Higher chlorophyll concentrations and in general higher productivity are observed on the equator, along the coasts (especially eastern margins), and in the high latitude ocean (Figure 4a and b).

Why do oceans have a low biomass?

Biomass of phytoplankton are obviously low in oceans because the numbers of microorganisms are vast. Biomass are source of food to microorganisms which will decompose faster. Therefore, biomass are always little in oceans.

Is productivity higher on the land or in the sea?

And since the ocean makes up over 70\% of the earth’s surface, it is not too surprising that land is much more productive than ocean, even though life on land would seem to be tougher land plants aren’t bathed in water. Average land productivity is 160 grams carbon per square meter per year.

What is the primary product of primary production?

The main products of primary production are carbohydrates. How do scientists measure primary production? Scientist measure primary production by turning the amount of carbon into living things. The more carbons per square, the more productive the ecosystem is.

How is primary productivity in the ocean measured?

Primary productivity can be measured from the amount of oxygen consumed by a volume of water in a fixed period of time; water for which productivity is to be determined is enclosed in sealed white and dark bottles (bottle painted dark so light would not enter).

Where is primary production the greatest in the ocean?

pelagic water
Organisms living in the water column between the ocean surface and the bottom, largely phytoplankton, conduct most of the primary production in the pelagic water.

What is ocean primary production?

Marine primary production is the chemical synthesis in the ocean of organic compounds from atmospheric or dissolved carbon dioxide. Primary production in the ocean can be contrasted with primary production on land.

What is biomass in the ocean?

In the world oceans there is large amount of biomass suspended in the photic zone of water column. Part of the living part is of plant origin, the phytoplankton and other is the animal component or zooplankton. There is also large proportion of particulate organic matter composed by remains of dead animals and feces.