06/12/2026
LISSTs and Primary Productivity!
Primary Producers are the organisms that in general convert inorganic materials (e.g., phosphate) into organic matter (e.g. lipids) through photosynthesis. In the aquatic realm, the dominant primary producers are the phytoplankton. Primary Production relates to the amount of organic matter the Primary Producers build up over time, e.g. mg C / m3 / hr. Several methods exist to measure Primary Productivity: Adding radioactive tracers to a sample and measure the radioactive uptake after incubation; light-dark bottle technique comparing changes in dissolved oxygen; and various fluorescence techniques.
LISSTs cannot make any of these measurements. However, LISST data such as particle size distribution and concentration are still useful for certain aspects of primary productivity studies: learn more following this link: https://www.sequoiasci.com/article/lissts-and-primary-productivity/
