Size-fractionated chlorophyll from the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO), ongoing since 2003 (NES-LTER since 2017)

Size-fractionated chlorophyll a and phaeopigments are measured from water column bottle and bucket samples taken on Northeast U.S. Shelf Long-Term Ecological Research (NES-LTER) day cruises in the vicinity of the Martha's Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO), as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass. Sampling frequency near MVCO is approximately monthly, ongoing since 2003. Size fractions in addition to whole seawater (>0.7 micron) include <10 and <80 microns. Pigments were analyzed using fluorometers in which fluorescence was measured versus a blank and a standard, and final concentrations were calculated in micrograms per liter (or mg per cubic meter).