Home > Environmental Science > Ecosystem Structure

Where does most of the primary production occur in an ocean ecosystem?

Answer 1

Primary producers are the photosynthetic organisms who trap the sunlight to be stored in organic substances. In open ocean, primary producers are floating phytoplanktons, mainly microscopic algae.

Submerged plants can thrive only near coasts where light penetrates the water. In open ocean, submerged plants can not thrive. As a result, gross primary productivity (GPP= g/sq m/yr) of open ocean is very less; but three-fourth of the earth is ocean and thus oceanic phytoplanktons trap a lot of sunlight.

From the following diagram, it could be concluded that most of the primary production takes place in pelagic zone.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.