General comments: Overall, this paper is a useful study that investigates the relevant optical properties of biological aerosol particles. They provide some excellent comparison tests of which parameters and processes are important, and provide a framework for understanding these findings. Major comments: 1. The authors frequently talk about how they do not intend this paper to be a comprehensive literature review (e.g., lines 137-140), yet it is still important that they cover the range of

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... es that are found in the literature. Specifically, I would like to see an inclusion of more up to date information on pollen and fungal spore rupture (see next C1 ACPD Interactive comment Printer-friendly version Discussion paper