Phytoplankton pigment absorption: A strong predictor of primary productivity in the surface ocean

Over a range of trophic conditions in the ocean, we argue that variations in productivity are more closely related to variations in phytoplankton absorption than to variations in the chlorophyll- a (Chl- a) concentration. Our analysis suggests that environmental variability is expressed through the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Deep-sea research. Part I, Oceanographic research papers Oceanographic research papers, 2007-02, Vol.54 (2), p.155-163
Main Authors: Marra, John, Trees, Charles C., O’Reilly, John E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absorption
Analysis
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Arabian Sea
Assimilation number
Biogeochemical provinces
Biological and medical sciences
Equatorial Pacific
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Marine
Oceans
Package effect
Pigments
Plankton
Productivity
Quantum yield
Ross Sea
Sea water ecosystems
Synecology
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Summary:Over a range of trophic conditions in the ocean, we argue that variations in productivity are more closely related to variations in phytoplankton absorption than to variations in the chlorophyll- a (Chl- a) concentration. Our analysis suggests that environmental variability is expressed through the absorption properties of phytoplankton pigments rather than their quantity, and that productivity normalized to absorption is relatively invariant in the world ocean. The relationship between primary productivity and phytoplankton absorption makes possible a more direct approach to the estimation of ocean productivity from satellite sensors.
ISSN:0967-0637
1879-0119
DOI:10.1016/j.dsr.2006.12.001