The most commonly used method of estimating primary productivity of a pond involves measurement of the amount of
CO2 utilized
autotroph biomass
oxygen released
organic carbon
The most commonly used method of estimating primary productivity in a pond involves the measurement of the amount of oxygen released or produced through photosynthesis. This method is known as the oxygen production method or the light and dark bottle method.
The oxygen production method measures the rate of oxygen production by photosynthetic organisms in the pond, which is directly related to primary productivity. Here's how the method is typically conducted:
Collect water samples from the pond and divide them into two sets.
Place one set of samples in clear bottles exposed to natural sunlight, representing the light condition. Keep the other set in opaque or dark bottles, representing the dark condition. The dark bottles serve as controls to measure the rate of oxygen consumption by organisms through respiration.
Incubate both sets of bottles for a specific duration (e.g., a few hours) to allow photosynthesis to occur in the light bottles.
Measure the dissolved oxygen concentration in both the light and dark bottles using an oxygen probe or other appropriate methods.
Calculate the difference in dissolved oxygen concentrations between the light and dark bottles. This difference represents the net amount of oxygen produced through photosynthesis.
Convert the net oxygen production to primary productivity by applying appropriate conversion factors.
By comparing the oxygen production in the light bottles to the oxygen consumption in the dark bottles, scientists can estimate the primary productivity of the pond. This method takes into account the balance between oxygen production through photosynthesis and oxygen consumption through respiration, providing insights into the overall productivity of the ecosystem.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3