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.
Scientists have been aware for some time that whales contribute to marine ecosystems by "recycling" nutrients. However, the exact impact on ocean productivity was unclear and had not been studied quantitatively. A new study, ...
A study by researchers at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) found that net primary productivity in Miscanthus × giganteus (M × g) is driven by aboveground productivity, influenced by nitrogen ...
Ecology
Oct 27, 2025
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There is growing interest in high-biomass sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) as a bioenergy feedstock, but more information is needed to determine the most suitable varieties for the U.S. Midwest. This study by researchers ...
Agriculture
Oct 25, 2025
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A new study published in PNAS shows that tree diversity consistently promotes productivity through fostering greater canopy structural complexity (CSC). Species complementarity is the main driver, with its positive effects ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 15, 2025
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Accurately modeling gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) in terrestrial ecosystems is essential for understanding and predicting the global carbon and water cycles. However, current models face considerable ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 13, 2025
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Vertical farming offers a much-needed opportunity to secure food production in the face of climate change, but can it truly deliver a sustainable alternative to field-grown crops? A new study led by the University of Surrey ...
Ecology
Sep 16, 2025
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Terrestrial ecosystems, vital for absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate climate change, rely on Earth system models (ESMs) for estimating carbon uptake—a cornerstone of climate policy, carbon budgeting and land ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 3, 2025
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Unless one is a trained fighter jet pilot, or a Formula 1 driver, humans tend not to do well at higher gravity, but tiny green moss plants seem to thrive under such conditions.
Astronauts exploring the moon will need all the help they can get, and scientists have spent lots of time and plenty of money coming up with different systems to do so. Two of the critical needs of any long-term lunar mission ...
Astrobiology
Aug 5, 2025
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59
A new study using data collected by NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite established a novel method to determine how productive plants are worldwide. The findings were published in IEEE Geoscience ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 31, 2025
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