Energy transfer

Energy transfer

1. The total rate at which plants and other autotrophs synthesize organic material is called gross productivity. It includes organic material used in respiration as well as organic material stored as new plant tissue. The rate at which autotrophs store organic material as new tissue is call net produtivity (net productivity = gross productivity - respiratory loss)

2. On the energy that is stored in plant tissue is available to consumers. Net productivity values, thereofre, are often used to compare the productivity of different ecosystems

3. Effieciency of secondary productivity; The rate at which energy or organic material is built up into the tissues of a consumer is called secondary productivity