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Category: Phytoplankton

Noctiluca Observed in Southeast AK, Summer 2019

The Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA) received a call on June 20th reporting red-colored water in Silver Bay. In response, … More

algal bloom, dinoflagellates, environmental monitoring, harmful algal bloom, noctiluca, Phytoplankton, plankton, red tide, sitka, sitka tribe of alaska, southest alaska

Phytoplankton Friday: Noctiluca

algal bloom, bioluminescence, dinoflagellate, dinoflagellates, noctiluca, Phytoplankton, red tide

Phytoplankton Friday: Protoperidinium

Phytoplankton

Phytoplankton Friday: Chaetoceros

Phytoplankton

Turquoise Tides: Coccolithophore Bloom in Sitka

Note: This post was originally written and posted in September 2018 Many community members in Sitka last week noticed a … More

alaska, algal bloom, coccolithophores, marine ecology, marine environment, marine science, Phytoplankton, sitka

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Check out this Greenland smooth cockle (Serripes groenlandicus) found in Kodiak! Photo courtesy of Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak.

Petersburg Indian Association found a large amount of exposed cockles on Sandy Beach Thursday, January 16th. PIA is curious if anyone else has experienced this on beaches in Southeast.

STA staff Naomi Bargmann and Angela Hessenius investigating the changing tides of Herring Cove. To get offshore, they ventured on a paddle board into the bay, towing the plankton net along with them. In their sample, they hoped to confirm which phytoplankton were responsible for causing the dramatic change in water color. Hear what they found in this interview with @kcawradio! https://www.kcaw.org/2019/08/13/chalky-algae-shells-turn-sitka-seas-turquoise/

STA’s microscope room got a major makeover! This plankton mural, based off of an original design by Raven Shaw (@quickdrawmccaw) and made possible with the help of many dedicated interns and staff, is now a complete work of art that enshrines our love for the magnificent creature at the base of the marine food chain and brings joy to all those who spend time doing microscopy.

Happy Phytoplankton Friday! Today’s featured phytoplankton is: Noctiluca. Noctiluca are large, unarmored dinoflagellates with a kidney or balloon-shaped cell. It does not photosynthesize, so it does not have chloroplasts. Instead, it is a heterotroph that feeds on other organisms by using its plasma membrane to engulf other cells (this process is called phagocytosis). Prey that Noctiluca feed on include diatoms, ciliates, copepod eggs, naupliar stage larvae, and even on fish eggs. Although Noctiluca retain their two flagella, they are highly modified, not always noticeable, and are not strong enough to readily facilitate locomotion. Instead, Noctiluca control their vertical position by regulating their buoyancy in order to catch their prey. They are less dense than seawater, so they float near the surface. Noctiluca also has a tentacle that it uses to sense and capture prey. Blooms of Noctiluca can be bioluminescent (although Noctiluca in the Northeast Pacific region are not bioluminescent) and can colour the water bright red or orange. Although it does not produce toxins, it can be considered a harmful algal bloom (HAB) species because of its ability to produce toxic concentrations of ammonium (which may be toxic to fish), deplete oxygen levels in the water, and clog other organisms' gills. Fun Facts: The phenomenon of bioluminescence was first noted in the genus Noctiluca, which resulted in its name, meaning "night light.” However, the reaction is now known to occur in several marine species. Because of the spectacular bioluminescent light show it puts on, the species Noctiluca scintillans is sometimes called “sea sparkle.” Dinoflagellate bioluminescence is controlled by circadian rhythms and only occurs at night. Images sources: The Phytoplankton Encyclopaedia Project, University of British Columbia / Biological and Satellite Oceanography Lab, University of California Santa Cruz / BioWeb, University of Wisconsin / The Bioluminescence Web Page, University of California Santa Barbara/ Kin Cheung, AP/The Atlantic / K.B. Padmakumar, Cochin University of Science and Technology

Check out this story from @kcawradio! The seas are changing around Sitka this week. Ocean waters have turned a pale, greenish blue color. Researchers at Sitka Tribe of Alaska think a specific type of algae is the cause. It’s non-toxic, but it’s shedding a material you’ve probably been familiar with since elementary school. - 📸: Naomi Bargmann.

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