Final answer:
Biomass is the total mass of living or previously living organisms in a unit area at the time of measurement, important for ecology and energy production. It is considered carbon-neutral when used as fuel because its combustion releases the carbon that was absorbed during growth. The amount of biomass is influenced by abiotic factors and climate, affecting the level of primary production and food availability.
Step-by-step explanation:
Biomass refers to the total weight, at the time of measurement, of living or previously living organisms in a unit area within a trophic level. It is an important concept in ecology and environmental science, especially when considering energy production from organic matter.
Biomass includes plant matter such as firewood or agricultural waste, which can be used as a source of renewable energy. When biomass is burnt for energy, it is considered a carbon-neutral source because it releases an amount of CO2 equivalent to what the plants absorb during photosynthesis. This means that it doesn't add new CO2 to the atmosphere, helping to mitigate climate change. In terms of ecosystem productivity, net primary productivity is the amount of carbon fixed by photosynthesis minus the carbon used during cellular respiration, which includes only the aboveground biomass in terrestrial biomes.
Annual biomass production is closely linked to abiotic factors in the environment, with warm and wet climates typically resulting in higher biomass production due to optimized photosynthetic rates. In contrast, dry and cold environments tend to have lower photosynthetic rates and therefore less biomass, affecting the animal communities living there due to less available food. Biomass can be measured in terms of energy, with it providing energy comparable to proteins or carbohydrates when burned.