Primary productivity in the ocean is the rate of carbon fixation as a direct result of photosynthesis (measured in mg C/m²/day), and plays an essential role in the global carbon cycle. Although marine photosynthetic organisms are almost entirely single-celled phytoplankton that comprise less than 1 percent of the the total global plant biomass, they account for about 40 percent of total global carbon fixation.

Tools such as SeaWiFS provide critical data about global primary productivity, and WET Labs transmissometers and fluorometers provide researchers the ability to obtain real-time, in situ measurements of chlorophyll-a, a basic measurement of photosynthesis.

More information: Monitoring Primary Productivity in Willapa Bay, WA.

More information: Southern Ocean Particle Dynamics

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