Primary production

Primary production is the synthesis of organic compounds from atmospheric or aqueous carbon dioxide. It principally occurs through the process of photosynthesis, which uses light as its source of energy, but it also occurs through chemosynthesis, which uses the oxidation or reduction of inorganic chemical compounds as its source of energy. Almost all life on Earth relies directly or indirectly on primary production. The organisms responsible for primary production are known as primary producers or autotrophs, and form the base of the food chain.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct.

Chemosynthesis

Chemosynthesis is the process by which certain microbes create energy by mediating chemical reactions. So the animals that live around hydrothermal vents make their living from the chemicals coming out of the seafloor in the vent fluids!

Primary producers

Primary producers are organisms in an ecosystem that produce biomass from inorganic compounds (autotrophs). In almost all ecosystems, primary production happens through the process of photosynthesis, which uses light as its source of energy.

See also

• Autotroph
• Heterotroph
• Secondary production

References

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