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Fraction of primary productivity in stable ecosystems consumed by bacteria

Value	>=90 %
Organism	Biosphere
Reference	Makarieva AM, Gorshkov VG, Li BL. Energetics of the smallest: Do bacteria breathe at the same rate as whales? Proc Biol Sci. 2005 Oct 22 272(1577):2219-24. p.2219 left column top paragraphPubMed ID16191633
Primary Source	1) Gorshkov V.G. The distribution of energy flows among the organisms of different dimensions. Zh. Obshch. Biol. 1981 42: 417–429. (2) Gorshkov V.G. Springer Berlin: 1995. Physical and biological bases of life stability. (3) Del Giorgio P.A, Cole J.J, Cimbleris A. Respiration rates in bacteria exceed phytoplankton production in unproductive aquatic systems. Nature. 1997 385: 148–151. doi 10.1038/385148a0 (4) Biddanda B, Ogdahl M, Cotner J. Dominance of bacterial metabolism in oligotrophic relative to eutrophic waters. Limnol. Oceanogr. 2001 46:730–739. (5) Makarieva A.M, Gorshkov V.G, Li B.-L. Body size, energy consumption and allometric scaling: a new dimension in the diversity-stability debate. Ecol. Complexity. 2004 1:139–175.
Comments	Bacteria were found to dominate and control the ecosystem energy flow consuming more than 90% of primary productivity in stable ecosystems on land as well as in the ocean and freshwater bodies (primary sources).
Entered by	Uri M
ID	105784