A biological community's productivity is a measure of
A) its number of species.
B) the number of individuals in the community.
C) available solar energy that can be converted to biomass.
D) the amount of biomass produced in the community.
E) All of these are combined in measuring a community's productivity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A biological community's productivity is a measure of the amount of biomass produced in the community. While the number of species and individuals in the community may contribute to its overall productivity, it is ultimately the amount of organic matter that determines productivity. Solar energy availability is also important since it is the energy source that drives photosynthesis, which creates the organic molecules that make up biomass. However, solar energy availability alone does not determine productivity as there are other limiting factors such as nutrient availability and temperature that can affect productivity.

A Biological Community's Productivity Is a Measure of