THE MEASUREMENT OF CHLOROPHYLL, PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY, PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION, AND MACROMOLECULES IN BENTHIC ALGAL MATS

Abstract

Methods are described for measuring primary productivity, chlorophyll, protein, and nucleic acid in algal cores. The cores are homogenized after incubation with a radioactive isotope so that representative subsamples can be taken. Isotope self‐absorption is not a problem, because only a small fraction of the core is actually filtered. The method eliminates sampling variability since chlorophyll is estimated in the same samples used to determine 14 C uptake. Acid or alkali extraction was used to indicate the biochemical fractions into which the 14 C was incorporated. Rates of pholephosphorylation and RNA synthesis were measured using 32 P.