NPP is the difference between plant photosynthesis and respiration. Therefore, NPP quantifies the net absorption of what element(s) by living plants?

Question

A.  carbon
B.  phosphorus
C.  nitrogen
D.  oxygen
E.  nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium


Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about productivity?
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

A.  carbon


Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question addresses productivity.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This question is asking you to take what you already know and apply it to this unfamiliar situation.
 
Gather Content
· What do you already know about productivity?
        o The productivity of a trophic level is the rate at which the organisms in the trophic level collectively synthesize new organic matter in their tissues.
        o Primary productivity is the productivity of the primary producers. An important complexity in analyzing the primary producers is that not only do they synthesize new organic matter by photosynthesis, but they also break down some of the organic matter to release energy by means of aerobic cellular respiration. The respiration of the primary producers, in this context, is the rate at which they break down organic compounds.
        o Gross primary productivity (GPP) is simply the raw rate at which the primary producers synthesize new organic matter; net primary productivity (NPP) is the GPP minus the respiration of the primary producers. The NPP represents the organic matter available for herbivores to use as food.
        o The productivity of a heterotroph trophic level is termed secondary productivity. For instance, the rate that new organic matter is made by means of individual growth and reproduction in all the herbivores in an ecosystem is the secondary productivity of the herbivore trophic level.
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o NPP quantifies the net carbon absorption rate by living plants. NPP is the difference between plant photosynthesis, which fixes atmospheric CO2 into sugars and other organic molecules, and respiration, which combusts sugar and releases the carbon back into the atmosphere.
 
Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o The question required you to take what you already know and apply it to this unfamiliar situation.
        o Did you recognize that NPP is net primary productivity – the net absorption of carbon by plants?