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Clarifying water clarity: A call to use metrics best suited to corresponding research and management goals in aquatic ecosystems

Turner, Jessica S.
; 
Fall, Kelsey A.
; 
Friedrichs, Carl T.
Abstract
Water clarity is a subjective term and can be measured multiple ways. Different metrics such as light attenuation and Secchi depth vary in effectiveness depending on the research or management application. In this essay, we argue that different questions merit different water clarity metrics. In coastal and inland waters, empirical relationships to estimate light attenuation can yield clarity estimates that either under- or overestimate the underwater light climate for restoration goals, such as potential habitat available for submerged aquatic vegetation. Best practices in reporting water clarity measurements include regionally specific, temporally representative calibrations and communicating the metric that was actually measured. An intentional choice of the water clarity metric best suited to the research or management question yields the most useful results.
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2022-01-01
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Physical Sciences Peer-Reviewed Articles
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Virginia Institute of Marine Science
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https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.10301
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https://scholarworks.wm.edu/handle/internal/18402
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