Absorption-based algorithm of primary production for total and size-fractionated phytoplankton in coastal waters

Barnes, MKS, Tilstone, GH, Smyth, TJ, Suggett, DJ, Astoreca, R, Lancelot, C and Kromkamp, JC 2014 Absorption-based algorithm of primary production for total and size-fractionated phytoplankton in coastal waters. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 504. 73-89. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10751

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps10751

Abstract/Summary

Most satellite models of production have been designed and calibrated for use in the open ocean. Coastal waters are optically more complex, and the use of chlorophyll a (chl a) as a first-order predictor of primary production may lead to substantial errors due to significant quantities of coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and total suspended material (TSM) within the first optical depth. We demonstrate the use of phytoplankton absorption as a proxy to estimate primary production in the coastal waters of the North Sea and Western English Channel for both total, micro- and nano+pico-phytoplankton production. The method is implemented to extrapolate the absorption coefficient of phytoplankton and production at the sea surface to depth to give integrated fields of total and micro- and nano+pico-phytoplankton primary production using the peak in absorption coefficient at red wavelengths. The model is accurate to 8% in the Western English Channel and 22% in this region and the North Sea. By comparison, the accuracy of similar chl a based production models was >250%. The applicability of the method to autonomous optical sensors and remotely sensed aircraft data in both coastal and estuarine environments is discussed.

Item Type: Publication - Article
Subjects: Botany
Earth Observation - Remote Sensing
Oceanography
Divisions: Plymouth Marine Laboratory > Science Areas > Sea from Space (expired)
Depositing User: Gavin Tilstone
Date made live: 09 Jun 2014 13:28
Last Modified: 05 Nov 2018 15:11
URI: https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/6115

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