Abstract
Three methods of measuring phytoplankton biomass (microscopic counting, electronic particle counting and determination of chlorophyll a concentration) were compared on both a daily (4 days) and a seasonal basis, in Charnwood Water, a small English freshwater lake. Correlations among measures were generally poor within days. However, good correlations were achieved among all methods on a seasonal basis. Seasonal correlations, in particular those between total particle numbers from particle counting and algal numbers from microscope, were affected by the degree of stability of the water column, with different relationships being found for mixed periods compared to stratified periods. These differences were related to an increased amount of particulate matter affecting the total particle numbers estimate during mixed periods. Other workers have found better relationships among these phytoplankton biomass methods within short periods, but there appears to be considerable variability among lakes. Therefore, it is recommended that the most appropriate method be evaluated on a individual lake basis, depending on the aims of the study.
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Billington, N. A comparison of three methods of measuring phytoplankton biomass on a daily and seasonal basis. Hydrobiologia 226, 1–15 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007775
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00007775