secondary productivity

Secondary productivity refers to the rate at which herbivores or consumers in an ecosystem convert the energy they obtain from plants or other animals into new biomass, such as growth and reproductive tissues. Essentially, it measures how effectively animals and other non-photosynthetic organisms use the energy they consume to produce new living material. This process is important for maintaining the flow of energy through food webs, supporting higher trophic levels like predators and decomposers. Secondary productivity varies among species and environments, influenced by factors like food availability and metabolic efficiency.