Spectral Analysis of Spatial Structure in Phytoplankton Populations

Our ability to study spatial structure in phytoplankton populations by the methods of spectral analysis depends on the development of a method for continuous measurement of chlorophyll concentration from a moving ship (Lorezen, 1966). Chlorophyll is used as the relative index of phytoplankton abundance, and it can be assayed continuously by Lorenzen’s in vivo fluorescence technique (see Platt and Denman, in press). Adaptation of this methodology to the particular requirement of phytoplankton patchiness research is discussed in Platt (1972) and in Herman and Denman (1977).