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Net primary production is a measure of plant productivity, the amount of plant material left over after respiration. Scientists
have been working to find out "where we stand relative to our survival on the planet, and what our needs are compared to the
capability of the biosphere to sustain them. In fact, it goes beyond just need; it includes our different lifestyles-our appetites."
To build some answers, they set about measuring global plant productivity, calculating human consumption levels on a
cultural level, and then compared the results. They found the ratio of consumption to regional net primary productivity might
prove to be a useful indicator of potential trouble spots should natural disasters, economic insecurity, or other problems
undermine networks or infrastructure. [Source: NASA Earth System Science Data and Services]
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