Determining the contribution of pigments and the nonalgal fractions to total absorption: Toward an improved algorithm

Ramiro A. Varela*, Francisco G. Figueiras, Belén Arbones, Susana Agustí

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Three methods that estimate the algal and nonalgal contributions to the total particulate matter light absorption were analyzed against the experimental Kishino method in a wide variety of environments. We found that one method gave better overall correlations and slopes closer to 1 than did the other methods, but the method overestimated the nonalgal fraction when the nonalgal absorption to total particulate matter absorption proportion in the sample was low. As a result, a correction is suggested and results are compared with those of the other methods, showing that the combined use of the original algorithm and the correction do configure a suitable basis for differentiating the algal and nonalgal fractions using as input only the total particulate light absorption data.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)449-457
Number of pages9
JournalLimnology and Oceanography
Volume43
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1998
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oceanography
  • Aquatic Science

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