Red Excitation Chlorophyll

Not quite like the oxygen we breathe, dissolved oxygen (DO) refers to the amount of oxygen present in a body of water. DO levels are one of the primary conditions that determine an aquatic environment’s ability to host flora and fauna, making it an essential indicator of water quality. The surrounding atmosphere and photosynthetic process of aquatic plants introduce DO into water systems, but living organisms like fish aren’t the only force depleting or consuming this DO. Bacteria also require DO to thrive, and in water with an overabundance of nutrients in the water, algal blooms can signal an upset in the ecological balance. With DO playing such a crucial role in the world’s water systems, accurately measuring DO levels is imperative for scientists who study aquatic ecosystems.