Why would I want to measure Chlorophyll a?

FAQ - Cholorphyll a

1. Will the readings for the new integrated Chlorophyll a sensor correlate with my SCUFA?
2. Q: Why would I want to measure Chlorophyll a? A: There are several important reasons for measuring Chlorophyll a. The most basic reason is that chlorophyll-containing organisms are the first step in most food chains, and the health and/or abundance of these primary producers will have cascading effects to all higher organisms. In addition, the measurement of photosynthetic pigments, particularly chlorophyll a, is used to estimate phytoplankton productivity and biomass.