| It is shown that although primary production by saltmarshes is high, the combined production by macrophytes, phytoplankton and smaller algae in a typical kelp bed is similar to that of a saltmarsh and close to that attained by phytoplankton under nutrient-rich upwelling conditions. In each, primary production is approximately 1.5% of the incident energy. The evidence for the detritus-feeding consumer community associated with macrophyte beds is that secondary production is approximately 10% of primary production. This is very similar to the production attained in a typical plant-herbivore system and suggests that the detritivores are utilising fragmented plant material directly in an analogous fashion to herbivores. Secondary production by the consumer... |
