Fish sampling

USGS scientist Brent Knights conducting fish sampling on the Upper Mississippi River. Biological production represents the total amount of living material (biomass) that was produced during a defined period of time. This production is important because some of it is used for food and some is valued for recreation, it is a direct measure of total ecosystem processes, and it sustains biological diversity. Production is a measure of energy flow, and is therefore a natural currency for ecosystems. A sound understanding of biological production is essential to the effective science-based management of ecosystems.