Biological productivity refers to the rate at which living organisms convert inorganic or organic substrates into new biomass within an ecosystem, typically quantified as primary or secondary productivity. Primary productivity is driven mainly by photosynthetic or chemosynthetic autotrophs that fix carbon, often expressed as mass of carbon per unit area and time (e.g., g C m⁻² yr⁻¹), and is constrained by factors such as light, nutrient availability, temperature, and hydrodynamics. Secondary productivity denotes biomass production by heterotrophs consuming primary producers or other consumers. Biological productivity underpins trophic dynamics, biogeochemical cycling, and energy flow in terrestrial and aquatic systems.
A microscopic green pigment can provide major insights into how severe tropical cyclones called typhoons impact water flow and ecosystems. Called chlorophyll a, the pigment is responsible for absorbing light and initiating ...
Earth Sciences
13 hours ago
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New research led by James Cook University shows huge differences in fish biomass and fish productivity between Caribbean and Indo-Pacific coral reefs, driven by the consumption of jelly-like gelatinous plankton. For their ...
Ecology
Apr 15, 2026
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A new Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) study has found that while regenerative agriculture practices can improve soil health and reduce emissions on sheep farms, farmers often face trade-offs between environmental ...
Ecology
Mar 13, 2026
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Farmers could turn more of the UK's farmland into productive agroforestry systems if they had access to trusted advice and real farm examples, according to new research from the University of Reading. Dr. Amelia Hood, from ...
Ecology
Mar 9, 2026
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There is growing interest in the scientific community and private sector in biological approaches to marine carbon dioxide removal—strategies designed to enhance the ocean's natural ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 9, 2026
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Pinpointing when early land plants colonized terrestrial environments and began influencing Earth's systems is a core question in the evolution of the Earth system. A research team led by Prof. Zhao Mingyu at the Institute ...
Evolution
Feb 25, 2026
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In an era of rising grocery costs, eggs remain one of the most accessible and complete protein sources for families. New research from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience ...
Veterinary medicine
Feb 20, 2026
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Earth Sciences
Feb 11, 2026
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Farmers now have more reasons to consider rotating their crops, University of Alberta research shows. Widely used to restore soil health, the agricultural practice boosts the diversity of bacterial and fungal microbes that ...
Ecology
Feb 10, 2026
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The sun is the basis for photosynthesis, but not all plants thrive in strong sunlight. Strong sunlight constrains plant diversity and plant biomass in the world's grasslands, a new study shows. Temperature, precipitation, ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 9, 2026
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