Light absorption by phytoplankton and the filter amplification correction: cell size and species effects

Filter amplification corrections are presented for eight marine centric diatoms. These functions are required to correct the amplified optical path-length associated with the glass-fiber filter used in the measurement of phytoplankton absorption. Correction factors constructed from phytoplankton cultures in the laboratory are often applied to phytoplankton assemblages in the field. This study demonstrates significant differences in the filter amplification correction correlated to species and cell volume. This variation in the filter amplification correction can result in significant error in estimated absorption coefficients, compromising subsequent estimates of quantum yield and primary production.