TSI Carlson Chlorophyll Calculator
Apply Carlson chlorophyll TSI in µg/L with natural logarithm; pigment index does not uniquely classify all lake types.
Description
Chlorophyll is an algal-pigment proxy.
When to use TSI Carlson Chlorophyll Calculator
Use TSI Carlson Chlorophyll Calculator when you need to evaluate the supplied records under the calculation and evidence rules below. Pigment concentration alone does not describe all ecological endpoints or determine water-use suitability.
Prepare the observed lake or sample measurements and explicit calibration, reference values or thresholds requested. Keep depth coverage, units, dates and sampling conditions consistent.
How to use TSI Carlson Chlorophyll Calculator and understand its results
- Prepare the observed lake or sample measurements and explicit calibration, reference values or thresholds requested. Keep depth coverage, units, dates and sampling conditions consistent.
- Enter chlorophyllMicrogramsLiter using the field table and calculation rules, then run the tool.
- Read carlsonTrophicStateIndex. The explanation below defines the units, signs, ordering and any flags or placeholder values.
- If the tool reports an input issue, correct the values and run it again. Apply the stated assumptions when interpreting a successfully returned result.
| Input field | Meaning | Value type; see rules below | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| chlorophyllMicrogramsLiter | Chlorophyll micrograms liter | number | Required |
Enter strictly positive chlorophyll in µg/L. Apply the natural logarithm and return a finite index without forced0–100 bounds.
TSI=9.81ln(chlorophyllµg/L)+30.6 Units, indexing, boundary conditions and exceptional cases are defined in the calculation rules above.
| Output field | Meaning | Value type |
|---|---|---|
| carlsonTrophicStateIndex | Carlson trophic state index | number |
{
"input": {
"chlorophyllMicrogramsLiter": 1
},
"output": {
"carlsonTrophicStateIndex": 30.6
}
}Limitations and assumptions
Pigment concentration alone does not describe all ecological endpoints or determine water-use suitability.
Numeric inputs, where present, must be finite. Follow the calculation-specific rules for overflow, underflow and exceptional cases. Missing required fields, extra fields, wrong value types and violations of the calculation rules are input errors.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use TSI Carlson Total Phosphorus Calculator: Carlson’s phosphorus index transforms total phosphorus into an empirical trophic-state scale. Total phosphorus differs from directly available nutrient or measured algal biomass. For a complementary task, use Trophic Category Classifier: Trophic categories divide a continuous index using an explicit scheme. Category edge inclusivity changes how exact-boundary values are labeled.
Further background: Carlson Trophic State Equations and Interpretation.
References
-
TSI Carlson Chlorophyll Calculator — tool.io
-
Carlson Trophic State Equations and Interpretation — North American Lake Management Society
Similar or alternative tools
- TSI Carlson Total Phosphorus Calculator
Carlson’s phosphorus index transforms total phosphorus into an empirical trophic-state scale. Total phosphorus differs from directly available nutrient or measured algal biomass.
- Trophic Category Classifier
Trophic categories divide a continuous index using an explicit scheme. Category edge inclusivity changes how exact-boundary values are labeled.