Abstract
The synthesis of organic compounds from the inorganic constituents of sea-water by the activity of organisms is termed ‘production’. It is effected almost entirely by the photosynthetic activity of marine plants, with traces of organic matter also formed by chemosynthesis. The raw materials are water, carbon dioxide and various other substances, the nutrients, mainly inorganic ions, principally nitrate and phosphate. Chlorophyll-containing plants, by making use of light energy, are able to combine these simple substances to synthesize complex organic molecules. This is termed ‘Gross Primary Production’. The chief products are the three major categories of food materials, namely carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
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References and Further Reading
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Tait, R.V. (1972). Organic Production in the Sea. In: Elements of Marine Ecology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8297-3_5
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