Primary Productivity: GPP and NPP — NEET Biology
✅ Asked in NEET 2026It is expressed in terms of weight (g m⁻²) or energy (kcal m⁻²). The rate of biomass production is called productivity. It is expressed in terms of gm⁻² yr⁻¹ or (kcal m⁻²) yr⁻¹ to compare the productivity of different ecosystems. It can be divided into gross primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP). Gross primary productivity of an ecosystem is the rate of production of organic matter during photosynthesis. A considerable amount of GPP is utilised by plants in respiration. Gross primary productivity minus respiration losses (R), is the net primary productivity (NPP).
NTA tests your understanding of productivity measurements (gm⁻²yr⁻¹ or kcal m⁻²yr⁻¹) and the distinction between GPP and NPP. Students often confuse these terms or forget that NPP = GPP − Respiration losses. The key trap: treating GPP and NPP as interchangeable or miscalculating when respiration is given. Remember: GPP is total organic matter produced by photosynthesis, while NPP is the net amount available for growth and reproduction after plants use energy for their own respiration. This concept appears frequently because it's fundamental to energy flow in ecosystems and requires careful calculation.
This paragraph was tested 5 times in NEET.
Match List I with List II — A. Productivity, B. Net primary productivity, C. Gross primary productivity, D. Secondary productivity.
(NEET 2025) Which of the following is the unit of productivity of an Ecosystem?
(NEET 2023) In the equation GPP − R = NPP, GPP is Gross Primary Productivity, NPP is Net Primary Productivity. R here is:
(NEET 2021) In the equation GPP − R = NPP, R represents:
(NEET 2020) In relation to Gross Primary Productivity and Net Primary Productivity of an ecosystem, which one of the following statements is correct?
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