Determination of zooplankton absorption spectra and their potential contribution to ocean color.

Zooplankton are keystone organisms that provide a critical link between primary production and higher-order predators in the marine food web, as well as facilitating the sequestration of carbon within the ocean. In this context, there is considerable interest in the detection of zooplankton swarms from satellite ocean color signals. However, for this to be possible, accurate inherent optical property characterization of key zooplankton groups is first required.