Final answer:
Gross production refers to the total energy captured by producers, while net production is the energy available to consumers after producers have used some for respiration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Gross production and net production are two terms used in the study of ecology to describe the flow of energy through an ecosystem. Gross production refers to the total amount of energy that is captured by producers through photosynthesis, while net production is the amount of energy that is available to consumers after the producers have used some of that energy for their own respiration. In other words, gross production represents the total energy production in an ecosystem, whereas net production represents the energy available to support the growth and reproduction of organisms at higher trophic levels.