Estimating biomass of phytoplankton in the Jiaozhou Bay I. Phytoplankton biomass estimated from cell volume and plasma volume

Based on the data of the Jiaozhou Bay Ecosystem Dynamic Research, cell volume and surface area of 87 common phytoplankton species in China sea waters were calculated with assignment of the similar geometric form. The cell plasma volume, live weight, carbon content and nitrogen content were also calculated with the methods of Mullin et al. (1966), Strathmann (1967), Eppley et al. (1970), and Taguchi (1976). After comparing these methods, we chose the method of Eppley et al. (1970) as the best method for calculating phytoplankton carbon content in China sea waters.