Aquatic ecology and Biodiversity

Unit 5- Productivity

5.1. Concept of productivity
Life in the sea is due to the photosynthetic activity of aquatic plants. Plants convert the light energy into chemical energy (sugar). Phytoplankton is the dominant primary producers of the pelagic environment. They convert inorganic materials (NO₃, PO₄) into new organic compounds (lipid, protein, CHO’s) by the process of photosynthesis and transfer through food chain in an ecosystem. Autotrophs are called as primary producers. They can able to manufacture complex organic molecules from simple inorganic compounds (water, CO₂, nutrients).