Chlorophyll-a concentration is sometimes used to measure water clarity, especially when suspended sediments and colored dissolved organic matter concentrations are low. Chlorophyll-a concentration is a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, which is one way to quantify how turbid the water is due to biological primary production.  Chlorophyll-a concentration is most useful for research on primary production, the contribution of phytoplankton to light attenuation, and harmful algal blooms. Chlorophyll-a concentration is also useful for long-term monitoring because these sensors are often low cost and sturdy enough for long deployments underwater.