Factors Affecting the Productivity in Ecosystem

:Environmental Factors Affecting the Productivity in Ecosystem

1. Solar radiation and temperature.

2. Moisture, i.e., leaf water potential, soil moisture, fluctuation of precipitation, and transpiration.

3. Mineral nutrition, i.e., uptake of minerals from the soil, rhizosphere effects, fire effects, salinity, heavy metals and nitrogen metabolism.

4. Biotic activities, i.e., grazing, above ground herbivores, below ground herbivores, predators and parasites and diseases of primary producers.

5. Impact of human populations, i.e., populations of different sorts, ionising radiations, such as atomic explosions, etc.

6. In aquatic systems, productivity is generally limited by light, which decreases with increasing water depth. In deep oceans nutrients often become limiting for productivity. Nitrogen is most important nutrient limiting productivity in marine ecosystems.

The largeness of primary productivity depends on the photosynthetic capacity of producers and the existing environmental conditions, such as solar radiation, temperature and soil moisture.

In tropical conditions, primary productivity may remain continuous throughout the year, provided adequate soil moisture remain available.

While in temperate regions, primary productivity is limited by cold climate and a short snow- free growing period during the year.

Primary productivity of the major ecosystems of the world is as follows: