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Aquatic Biomass

The average net annual productivities of dry organic matter on good growth sites for terrestrial and aquatic biomass are shown in Table 4.12. With the exception of phytoplankton, which generally has lower net productivities,

Average Net Yield

(dry t/ha-year) Climate Ecosystem type Remarks

TABLE 4.12 Average Net Annual Biomass Yields on Fertile Sites’1

1

2

Arid

Desert

Ocean phytoplankton

Much more if hot and irrigated

2

Temperate

Lake phytoplankton

Little human influence

3

Coastal phytoplankton

Probably higher in some polluted estuaries

6

Temperate

Polluted lake phytoplankton

In agricultural and sewage runoffs

6

Temperate

Freshwater submerged macrophytes

12

Temperate

Deciduous forests

17

Tropical

Freshwater submerged macrophytes

20

Temperate

Terrestrial herbs

Possibly more if grazed

22

Temperate

Agriculture—annuals

28

Temperate

Coniferous forests

29

Temperate

Marine submerged macrophytes

30

30

Temperate

Agriculture—perennials Salt marsh

30

Tropical

Agriculture—annuals

Including perennials in continental climates

35

Tropical

Marine submerged macrophytes

38

Temperate

Reedswamp

40

Subtropical

Cultivated algae

More if C02 supplied

50

Tropical

Rainforest

75

Tropical

Agriculture—perennials, reedswamp

’Westlake (1963).

aquatic biomass seems to exhibit higher net organic yields than most terrestrial biomass. Aquatic biomass species that are considered to be the most suitable for energy applications include the unicellular and multicellular algae, freshwater plants, and marine species.