C4.2.16—Secondary production
Secondary production explains how energy flow, matter cycling, trophic transfer or carbon movement is represented, measured or limited within ecosystems.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Objective
- C4.2.16
- Level
- SL
Exam analysis
Chance of appearing1%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceNovember 2018
Most common paperPaper3
Typical marks1
Common command terms
- Calculate
Scoring notes
- Common mistake
- Reversing food-web arrows instead of showing energy transfer direction.
Recent exam appearances
November 2018Paper3 ["SL"] · TZ012(b)[ 1 ]C4.2.16—Secondary production
November 2018Paper3 ["SL"] · TZ012(a)[ 1 ]C4.2.16—Secondary production
Practice this objective
Coverage 2018–2018 · Updated 16 Jul 2026
Concept essentials
- Secondary production must be linked to the correct source, store, transfer or loss process.
- The evidence for secondary production depends on distinguishing energy flow from matter cycling.
- Secondary production is clearer when arrows, units and trophic positions match the biological process.
- Data or diagrams for secondary production need interpretation as ecosystem transfer evidence.