secondary productivity

biology

Also known as: secondary production

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July 13, 2026

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In biology, secondary productivity refers to the rate at which consumers convert the chemical energy from their food into their own biomass. This process is a crucial part of the flow of energy through ecosystems, following primary productivity, which is the conversion of solar energy into organic substances by producers like plants.12

Energy is lost at each trophic level, with only about 10 percent typically transferred from one level to the next. This means that less energy is available for organisms at higher levels in a food chain or food web. For example, herbivores consume a small fraction of plant tissue, and carnivores consume a fraction of herbivores. The efficiency of this energy transfer depends on factors like the type of food consumed and the physiology of the consumer.1

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biosphere
Energy transfers and pyramids
…their own biomass is called secondary productivity. The efficiency at which energy is transferred from one trophic level to another is called ecological efficiency. On average it is estimated that there is only a 10 percent transfer of energy (Figure 2).
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…their own biomass is called secondary productivity. The efficiency at which energy is transferred from one trophic level to another is called ecological efficiency. On average it is estimated that there is only a 10 percent transfer of energy (Figure 2).
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inland water ecosystem
Biological productivity
…environment through photosynthesis, and (2) secondary production, the transformation, through consumption, of this biomass into other forms. In this context, it is important to distinguish between gross primary production—i.e., the total amount of energy fixed by photosynthesis—and net primary production—i.e., the amount of energy fixed less that respired by the…
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…environment through photosynthesis, and (2) secondary production, the transformation, through consumption, of this biomass into other forms. In this context, it is important to distinguish between gross primary production—i.e., the total amount of energy fixed by photosynthesis—and net primary production—i.e., the amount of energy fixed less that respired by the…
Read More