Gross primary production

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Primary production is the fixation of light energy into chemical compounds (the construction of sugars from CO₂ and water; photosynthesis). Gross primary production then refers to the total amount of energy fixed by plants (the primary producers). This energy can then be used by plants to generate new biomass; growing. A certain amount of the ecosystems gross primary production can be consumed by herbivores (primary consumers) without destroying the plant community, this balance is however rather delicate.

[edit] See also

• Primary production