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Primary producers

About: Primary producers is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 827 publications have been published within this topic receiving 41343 citations.


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Book
31 Dec 1994
TL;DR: An overview of the diversity of rivers and streams, including some of the causes of this diversity, and some of their consequences, can be found in this article, where the authors provide a roadmap for individual chapters that follow, rather than define terms and explain principles in any detail.
Abstract: 1 An Introduction to Fluvial Ecosystems An overview of the diversity of rivers and streams, including some of the causes of this diversity, and some of the consequences. The intent is to provide a roadmap for the individual chapters that follow, rather than define terms and explain principles in any detail. 2 Streamflow Fluvial ecosystems exhibit tremendous variability in the quantity, timing and temporal patterns of river flow, and this profoundly influences their physical, chemical and biological condition. This chapter covers the essentials of hydrology, from the global water cycle to the myriad ways that humans alter water flowpaths and river flow. 3 Fluvial Geomorphology Fluvial geomorphology emphasizes the dynamic interplay between rivers and landscapes in the shaping of river channels and drainage networks. It includes study of the linkages among channel, floodplain, network and catchment and helps make sense of the enormous variety exhibited among fluvial systems, and thus the habitat and environmental conditions experienced by the biota. 4 Streamwater Chemistry The constituents of river water include suspended inorganic matter, dissolved major ions, dissolved nutrients, suspended and dissolved organic matter, gases, and trace metals. River chemistry changes temporally under the multiple influences of seasonal changes in discharge regime, precipitation inputs, and biological activity and usually is greatly altered owing to direct and indirect human influences. 5 The Abiotic Environment The abiotic environment includes all physical and chemical variables that influence the distribution and abundance of organisms. Current, substrate and temperature often are the most important variables in fluvial environments, and all organisms show adaptations that limit them to a subset of conditions. Species differ in the specific conditions under which they thrive, and whether those conditionsare narrow or comparatively broad. 6 Primary Producers Primary producers acquire their energy from sunlight and their materials from nonliving sources. The major autotrophs of running waters include the benthic algae and macrophytes in larger rivers, phytoplankton also can be important. Benthic algae occur in intimate association with heterotrophic microbes within an extracellular matrix, referred to as biofilm. Benthic algae are important in fluvial food webs, especially in headwater and midsized streams, and also influence the benthic habitat and nutrient cycling. 7 Detrital Energy Sources Particulate and dissolved organic matter originating both within the stream and in the surrounding landscape is an important basal resource to fluvial food webs. Detritus-based energy pathways can be particularly important, relative to pathways originating from living primary producers, in small streams shaded by a terrestrial canopy and in large, turbid rivers with extensive floodplains. Recent advances in microbial ecology have greatly expanded our understanding of the synergies between autotrophs and heterotrophs. 8 Trophic Relationships The network of consumers and resources that constitute fluvial food webs is supported by a diverse mix of energy supplies that originate within the stream and beyond its banks. These include the living resources of algae and macrophytes, and the non-living resources of particulate and dissolved organic matter. Microorganisms are important mediators of organic matter availability and there is increasing evidence of their importance as a resource to both small and large consumers. Additionally, energy subsidies in the form of falling terrestrial arthropods and the eggs and carcasses of migrating fish contribute to the support of many stream-dwellers. 9 Species interactions The basal resources of algae and detritus and associated microorganisms sustain higher consumers includin

2,648 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
30 Nov 2000-Nature
TL;DR: In both lakes and terrestrial systems, herbivores should have low growth efficiencies when consuming autotrophs with typical carbon-to-nutrient ratios and stoichiometric constraints on herbivore growth appear to be qualitatively similar and widespread in both environments.
Abstract: Biological and environmental contrasts between aquatic and terrestrial systems have hindered analyses of community and ecosystem structure across Earth's diverse habitats. Ecological stoichiometry1,2 provides an integrative approach for such analyses, as all organisms are composed of the same major elements (C, N, P) whose balance affects production, nutrient cycling, and food-web dynamics3,4. Here we show both similarities and differences in the C:N:P ratios of primary producers (autotrophs) and invertebrate primary consumers (herbivores) across habitats. Terrestrial food webs are built on an extremely nutrient-poor autotroph base with C:P and C:N ratios higher than in lake particulate matter, although the N:P ratios are nearly identical. Terrestrial herbivores (insects) and their freshwater counterparts (zooplankton) are nutrient-rich and indistinguishable in C:N:P stoichiometry. In both lakes and terrestrial systems, herbivores should have low growth efficiencies (10–30%) when consuming autotrophs with typical carbon-to-nutrient ratios. These stoichiometric constraints on herbivore growth appear to be qualitatively similar and widespread in both environments.

1,335 citations

Book
01 Jan 1984
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors studied the role of primary producers in marine ecosystems and their role in the formation of organic matter in photosynthesis and secondary production of marine organisms, as well as the effect of other factors on primary production.
Abstract: Contents Preface to the Third Edition Preface to the Second Edition Preface to the First Edition Part I Primary production in marine environments Chapter 1 Primary producers in the sea 1.1 Phytoplankton 1.2 Benthic producers Chapter 2 Production: the formation of organic matter 2.1 Photosynthesis 2.2 Chemosynthesis 2.3 Measurement of producer biomass and primary production 2.4 Contributions by different marine primary producers Chapter 3 Factors affecting primary production 2.1 Light 2.2 The Uptake and Availability of Nutrients 2.3 Temperature and Interactions with Other Factors 2.4 Distribution of Phytoplankton Production Over the World Ocean Part II Consumers in Marine Environments Chapter 3 Dynamics of Populations of Consumers 3.1 Elements of the Mathematical Description of Growth of Populations 3.2 Survival Life Tables 3.3 Fecundity Life Tables 3.4 Some Properties of Life Table Variables 3.5 Reproductive Tactics Chapter 4 Competition for Resources Among Consumers 4.1 Population Growth in Environments with Finite Resources 4.2 The Nature of Competition 4.3 Density-Dependent Control of Abundance 4.4 Density-Dependent Versus Density-Independent Effects on Abundance 4.5 Resource Partitioning 4.6 Niche Breadth and Species Packing Chapter 5 Feeding and Responses to Food Abundance 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Functional Response to Prey Density 8.3 Control Mechanisms in Benthic Communities Chapter 9 Trophic Structure 2: Components and Controls in Water Column Food Webs 9.1 Food Webs in Marine Water Columns 9.2 Microbial Food Webs 9.3 The Classic Microplankton Food Web 9.4 Speculations as to Control of Prey Populations by Larger Predators in the Marine Water Column Chapter 10 Taxonomic Structure: Species Diversity 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Measurement of Diversity 10.3 Factors Affecting Diversity 10.4 Integration of Factors Affecting Diversity and Some Consequences Chapter 11 Spatial Structure: Patchiness 11.1 Scales of Patchiness 11.2 Description of Spatial Distributions 11.3 Sources of Patchiness 11.4 Ecological Consequences of Patchiness 11.5 The Problem of Upscaling Chapter 12 Development of Structure in Marine Communities: Colonization and Succession 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Colonization Processes 12.3 Case Histories of Colonization and Succession 12.4 Interaction Among Communities at Different Stages of Succession 12.5 Generalized Properties of Succession in Marine Environments Part IV Functioning of Marine Ecosystems Chapter 13 The Carbon Cycle: Production and Transformations of Organic Matter 13.1 Inorganic Carbon 13.2 The Carbon Cycle in Aerobic Environments 13.3 The Carbon Cycle in Anoxic Environments Chapter 14 Nutrient Cycles and Ecosystem Stoichiometry 14.1 Phosphorus 14.2 Nitrogen 14.3 Sulfur 14.4 Ecosystem Energetics and Stoichiometry Chapter 15 Seasonal Changes in Marine Ecosystems 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Water Column Seasonal Cycles 15.3 Benthic Seasonal Cycles 15.4 Control of Seasonal Cycles Chapter 16 Long-Term and Large-Scale Change in Marine Ecosystems"/p> 16.1 Introduction 16.2 Large-Scale Effects of Long-Term Atmospheric Changes 16.3 Depletion of Fishery Stocks 16.4 Eutrophication 16.5 Toxic Contamination 16.6 Spread of Exotic Species 16.7 Harmful Algal Blooms 16.8 Interception of Freshwater Inputs and Sediment Loads 16.9 Multiple Factors in Concert: The Case of Black Sea 16.10 Implications of Long-Term, Large-Scale Changes References Index

1,054 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work has shown that nutrient translocation by relatively large animals may be particularly important for stimulating new primary production and for increasing nutrient standing stocks in recipient habitats.
Abstract: ▪ Abstract Animals are important in nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystems. Via excretory processes, animals can supply nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) at rates comparable to major nutrient sources, and nutrient cycling by animals can support a substantial proportion of the nutrient demands of primary producers. In addition, animals may exert strong impacts on the species composition of primary producers via effects on nutrient supply rates and ratios. Animals can either recycle nutrients within a habitat, or translocate nutrients across habitats or ecosystems. Nutrient translocation by relatively large animals may be particularly important for stimulating new primary production and for increasing nutrient standing stocks in recipient habitats. Animals also have numerous indirect effects on nutrient fluxes via effects on their prey or by modification of the physical environment. Future studies must quantify how the importance of animal-mediated nutrient cycling varies among taxa and along environme...

989 citations

Book
17 Jun 2004
TL;DR: In this article, the authors study the effect of human-induced changes in the ecology of the environment and management of estuarine production and its use in the management of forests.
Abstract: 1. The Estuarine Environment 2. Life in Estuaries 3. Primary Producers: plant production and its availability 4. Primary Consumers: herbivores and detritivores 5. The Secondary Consumers: carnivores 6. Estuarine Uses and Users 7. Methods for Studying Human-Induced Changes in Estuaries 8. The Management of Estuaries

821 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202337
202283
202162
202037
201937
201843