Which one of the following ecosystems has the highest net primary productivity?
Rainforest
Extreme desert
Lakes and streams
Mid-latitude grassland
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This question was previously asked in
UPSC Geoscientist – 2020
– Tropical rainforests have ideal conditions for plant growth: high temperatures, abundant rainfall, and high light intensity throughout the year, leading to very high rates of photosynthesis and biomass accumulation.
– Lakes and streams (freshwater ecosystems) have moderate NPP, varying greatly depending on factors like nutrient levels and light penetration.
– Mid-latitude grasslands also have moderate NPP, often limited by seasonal rainfall and temperature variations compared to tropical rainforests. Estuaries and coral reefs are aquatic ecosystems with also very high NPP, sometimes comparable to or exceeding rainforests on a per-unit-area basis, but rainforests cover much larger areas globally.