“…% ) are often estimated from laboratory based studies with algal monocultures (Marra et al, 2007(Marra et al, , 2003. Despite the limited data from mixed natural assemblages, absorption-based NPP models have reliably estimated NPP with low error, using in-situ data in the Equatorial Pacific, Southern Ocean, Western English Channel, California coast, North Atlantic, and North Pacific (Barnes et al, 2014;Ma et al, 2014;Marra et al, 2007). Absorption-based models have also been applied to satellite inverted a PHY coefficient to study the dynamics of NPP in the Southern Ocean and global eastern boundary upwelling regions (Hirata et al, 2009;Shang et al, 2010) and provide global estimates of annual NPP (Ma et al, 2014) To assess the utility of an absorption-based approach to estimate surface NPP in Australian coastal waters, this study compiled bio-optical and NPP data from tropical to temperate Australian locations.…”