Primary productivity is the biological process that underpins aquatic ecosystems by converting inorganic matter into the organic material that constitutes the various plant and animal communities.

• Definition: Biological productivity is the increase in organic material per unit of area or volume over time. The initial and most fundamental level of this process is primary productivity.
• Primary Producers: In aquatic environments, the primary producers are plants that perform photosynthesis. This group includes algae, bacteria, and in some cases, higher plants like water grasses and water lilies.
• Role in the Ecosystem: This process provides the essential energy and material base for the entire food web.