Average fraction of oceanic GPP [gross primary production] lost to algal respiration

Range ~35 %
Organism Biosphere
Reference del Giorgio PA, Duarte CM. Respiration in the open ocean. Nature. 2002 Nov 28 420(6914):379-84 DOI: 10.1038/nature01165 p.381 right column 2nd paragraphPubMed ID12459775
Primary Source [48] Duarte, C. M. & Cebria´n, J. The fate of marine autotrophic production. Limnol. Oceanogr. 41, 1758–1766 (1996) link [49] Bender, M., Ellis, T., Tans, P., Francey, R. & Lowe, D. Variability in the O2/N2 ratio of the southern hemisphere air, 1991–1994: Implications for the ocean carbon cycle. Glob. Biogeochem. Cycles 10, 9–21 (1996) link
Comments P.381 right column 2nd paragraph: "The validity of global estimates of planktonic primary productivity obtained from satellite remote sensing depends greatly on the quality of calibration data, which are based on 14C incorporation into particulate material [refs 4,5]. There are two major problems associated with 14C-based production estimates that may result in an underestimation of primary production and in the apparent discrepancy with oceanic respiration. First, 14C-based production estimates do not necessarily represent gross primary production (GPP), because some algal respiration has already been accounted for in the estimate. The fraction of GPP lost to algal respiration varies widely but averages at about 35% (primary sources)."
Entered by Uri M
ID 115507