By Jenny Lane
Sampling Date: May 6, 2008
Pseudo-nitzschia: rare (seriata class, poss. some delicatissima as well)
Alexandrium: none observed
Sampling time: 8:45 am
Weather: Overcast, drizzling. Cold. Light breeze.
Water color: Teal green.
Water conditions: Relatively calm. Waves were breaking through the Slot.
Water visibility: about 5′.
Water temp: 13.1(0′), 13.1C(int)
Tide: Flood (-1.7ft around 6am)
Other obs: A few fishermen setting up this week. Large packs of CSLs rafting in the waters around the end of the Wharf. Lots of juveniles playing, and large males swimming in and around the sampling area.
There were slightly less Protoperidinium in the sample this week compared to last, and in general the assemblage looked like it had been through another “flushing”: no major shifts in species from last week to this one, but a sparser sample overall.
The net is draining well. No foam, no slime. The net tow barely had any color to it (yellow-tan). No strong scent to the net tow.
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Coscinodiscus spp.
Melosira sp.
Thalassiosira sp.
Chaetoceros spp.
Pseudo-nitzschia spp.
Ditylum sp.
Odontella sp. - fragments
Asterionellopsis sp.
Thalassionema sp.
Tropidoneis sp.
Dinoflagellates:
Protoperidinium spp.
Polykrikos sp.
Ceratium spp.
Other:
Abundant copepods
Sampling date: 4-29-08
Sampling time: 7:56am
Weather: Strong and steady cold wind - relatively windy given the hour. Sunny, clear skies.
Water color: Green
Water conditions: Plenty of water movement - some impressive wave trains rolling towards the Wharf. The Slot was breaking through Indicators.
Water visibility: about 6′
Water temp: 13.1C (0′) 12.1C (int) *Up three degrees from last week*
Tide: Ebb (4.0ft at 5:20am)
Other obs: No fishermen this week. High CSL activity: large rafts of CSLs at both mid-Wharf and off the end. Packs of juvenile CSLs porpoising and circling the area. Whales were being sighted from the end of the Wharf at sampling time, and there were reports of a juvenile whale coming in close to the Wharf later in the afternoon.
From what I’ve gathered, the assemblage last week was still being dominated by Chaetoceros. This week, then, we’ve had quite a shift as the assemblage is now dominated by both Chaetoceros and Protoperidinium spp. The Chaetoceros species is one that I haven’t identified: it is spindly and thin, with straight but twisting chains. As for the Protoperidinium, I’ve never seen this many in a sample before.
The net is draining well. No foam, no slime. The net tow was mustard yellow. No strong scent to the net tow.
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Chaetoceros spp.
*All others, rare:
Lauderia-like sp. (poss. Detonula)
Eucampia sp.
Ditylum sp.
Conscinodiscus sp.
Thalassionema sp.
Thalassiosira sp.
Odontella sp.
Licmorpha sp.
Tropidoneis sp.
Dinoflagellates:
Protoperidinium spp.
Polykrikos sp.
healthy background abundance of of LRBs
*All others, rare:
Pyrocystis sp.
Ceratium spp.
Gymnodinium sp.
Other, of note:
Phaeocystis - rare
Dictyocha sp.
Discus-shaped dinoflagellate
Other:
Abundant tintinnids
Minimal detritus
We’ve had minimal indicator bacteria numbers over the past few samples (Apr 15 and Apr 22).
By Jenny Lane
Sample date: Tuesday, 4-15-08
Sampling time: 8:50am
Weather: Light to moderate wind. Sunny, mostly clear skies. Very gusty last night.
Water color: Green
Water conditions: Minimal water movement. The Slot was breaking through Indicators.
Water visibility: about 8′
Water temp: 11.9C (0′) 11.7C (int) *Up two degrees from last week*
Tide: High/Ebb (4.5ft at 7:32am)
Other obs: No fishermen this week. Low CSL activity and just a few shorebirds. They’re bulldozing sand into the swath that was cut through Cowells Beach (formed by the outflow just under the Wharf); that outflow has been flowing well since our last major storm.
There has been a resurgence in phytoplankton abundance since last week’s “flushed” assemblage. The composition remains generally unaltered, excepting an increase in Phaeocystis. Chaetoceros (long, straight, spindly chains plus C. socialis) is abundant. The Lauderia-like sp. has also resurged, along with a few other cylindrical chain-forming diatoms.
The net is draining very well. No foam, no slime. The net tow was mustard yellow, with a yellow-green tinge. No strong scent to the net tow.
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Chaetoceros spp.
Lauderia-like sp. - larger in diameter compared to what we were seeing last week - abundant
Leptocylindrus spp. - increased in abundance from last week
Odontella sp. - long chains (20-30 cells).
Ditylum sp.
Coscinodiscus wailesii
Dinoflagellates:
Protoperidinium spp.
Ceratium cf. divaricatum - rare
Polykrikos sp.- rare
Dinophysis fortii - rare
Gymnodinium sp. - rare
healthy background abundance of of LRBs
Other, of note:
Phaeocystis - increased from last week
discus-shaped dinoflagellate
Other:
Plenty of tintinnids, moderate copepods.
Minimal detritus
By Jenny Lane
Sampling time: 8:40am
Weather: Light wind. Overcast. Cold!!!
Water color: Green
Water conditions: Some water movement. Middle peak and the Point were breaking through to Cowell’s.
Water visibility: 10′
Water temp: 9.9C (0′) 9.8C (int) - still cold.
Tide: Low/Flood (-1.0′ at 7:00am)
Other obs: No fishermen this week. Sea lions were extremely active this morning, chasing each other around, committing flips, and swimming in quick little packs throughout the waters off-Wharf. Shorebirds skittering about on the water surface, trying to stay out of play.
The assemblage composition has not shifted dramatically from last week, but it looks like it has been flushed out. Chaetoceros, especially C. socialis, is reduced in overall abundance but has not decreased as dramatically in its relative abundance. C. socialis, along with a Lauderia-like sp., are still relatively common. Odontella abundance has dropped since last week, and for the second week in a row there has been a rise in Protoperidinium spp. abundance.
The net is draining very well. No foam, no slime. The net tow continues to bear an orange-brown tinge.
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Chaetoceros spp.
C. socialis
C. cf. debilis - rare
C. decipiens - rare
Lauderia-like sp. - smaller in diameter compared to what we were seeing a few weeks ago, still common
Leptocylindrus sp.
Odontella sp. - decreased in abundance from last week
Ditylum sp.
Coscinodiscus wailesii
Melosira sp. - rare
Dinoflagellates:
Protoperidinium spp. - up from last week (again)
Ceratium cf. divaricatum - rare
Pyrocystis sp. - rare
Dinophysis sp. - rare
Other, of note:
Phaeocystis
Other:
Plenty of tininnids
Minimal detritus
Collection and Photos by Jenny Lane
Sampling time: 8:43am
Weather: Very light wind. Overcast. Cold!!
Water color: Teal green
Water conditions: Some water movement. No surf to speak of.
Water visibility: About 8′
Water temp: 10.1C (0′) 9.9C (int) - down about a degree from last week.
Tide: High/Ebb (4.6ft at 7:12am)
Other obs: No fishermen this week. Large CSL raft just off-Wharf. A few shorebirds, a few gulls.
The Chaetoceros bloom continues but again there has been a shift in species, this time to C. socialis. The straighter Chaet species that were so abundant last week are still common. C. cf. debilis has become rare. The Lauderia-like chain-forming diatom has fallen back in abundance. The Odontella species that has been in the background over the past few weeks has increased in abundance, and is now present in higher numbers than I’ve seen before. There has been an increase in dinoflagellates, attributable primarily to an increase in Protoperidinium spp.
The net is draining well. No foam, no slime. The net tow has lost some of its orange-brown color and much of its grassy scent.
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Chaetoceros spp.
C. socialis
C. cf. debilis
Odontella sp.
Lauderia-like sp.
Thalassiosira sp. (medium size class only, rare)
Thalassionema nitzschoides - rare, but long chains
Ditylum sp.
Coscinodiscus wailesii
Dinoflagellates:
Protoperidinium spp.
P. cf. conicum
P. cf. oceanicum
P. cf. steinii
Ceratium cf. divaricatum
Other:
discus-shaped dinoflagellate
Lots of tininnids and copepods.
Minimal detritus.
By Jenny Lane
Sampling time: 8:10am
Weather: No wind. Fog line along the coast. Thick fog bank just offshore
Water color: Dark green
Water conditions: Minimal water movement. Too foggy for a view of the Point, but the reports are calling for a mixed WNW 2m swell.
Water visibility: About 7′
Water temp: 11.4C (0′) 10.8C (int)
Tide: Low (7:50 am 0.4; 2:20 pm 3.3)
Other obs: More fishermen this week, but no one seems to be catching anything. Low CSL activity this week. A few shorebirds, a few gulls.
The Chaetoceros bloom continues, but there has been a dramatic shift away from C. cf. debilis, towards a straighter Chaetoceros species: relatively small in diameter, very thin setae along the chain, with elongate, thicker setae extending from the terminal cells. There was also a shift in the cylindrical chain-formers: the thick, blocky chains of Lauderia-like sp. have given way to a slightly thinner counterpart, with chained cells that are more rectangular than square (in girdle view). In shape and structure, the chains resemble ribbon-forming Navicula (e.g. Navicula pelagica), but the cells aren’t as tightly stacked. It is always possible that what I’m seeing is simply stressed-out Lauderia-like sp.
The net is draining well. No foam, no slime. The net tow had an orange-brown color and a strong grassy smell again this week.
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Chaetoceros spp.
C. cf. debilis
C. cf. decipiens
C. socialis
Lauderia-like sp.
Thalassiosira spp. (v. small to medium size classes, with medium size class more abundant)
T. cf. rotula
Thalassionema nitzschoides - few chains, but they are among the longest I’ve seen at the Wharf
Ditylum brightwellii
Coscinodiscus wailesii
Odontella sp.
Navicula sp. (?)
Dinoflagellates:
Protoperidinium spp.
P. cf. conicum
P. cf. steinii
Ceratium cf. divaricatum
Polykrikos sp.
poss. Lingulodinium polyedrum
Other:
Phaeocystis
discus-shaped dinoflagellate
Plenty of larvae and tininnids.
Fine detritus present.
By Jenny Lane
Sampling time: 8:35am
Weather: No wind. Thick fog bank just offshore. Cold air temperature.
Water color: Chocolate green
Water conditions: Some water movement around the Wharf. The Point was breaking through Indicator’s.
Water visibility: About 5′
Water temp: 10.5C (0′) 10.5C (int) - down more than a degree from last week.
Tide: High (1.56m at 8:32am)
Other obs: A few fishermen on hand, but the one I spoke to was only out for his very first time (ever) and wasn’t catching anything. Low CSL activity this week, and low shorebird activity besides a few gulls. They’ve started jackhammering another section of the Wharf near the sample site, so the construction continues after all. There was an otter feeding towards the middle of the Bay, for whatever that’s worth!
Yes, we are having the Chaetoceros cf. debilis bloom that might have been anticipated from last week’s IDs. C. cf. debilis was in full bloom, though well accompanied by a few other Chaetoceros species. A cylindrical chain-former was also making a strong showing; I’m still ID’ing it as a Lauderia-like sp., but it could be Bacterosira (or a combination of both). I’ve attached two photos, both of a specimen that was on the smaller side (by diameter) of the size spectrum observed.
The net is draining well. No foam, no slime. The net tow had an orange-brown color and a strong smell (for those of you who are familiar with the aromas of various blooms, this was more grassy and seaweed-like, not dinoflagellate-like).
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Chaetoceros spp.
C. cf. debilis
C. cf. decipiens
C. socialis
Lauderia-like sp.
Thalassiosira spp. (v. small to medium size classes, with v. small size class more abundant).
Thalassionema nitzschoides
Ditylum brightwellii
Coscinodiscus spp.
Navicula sp.
Guinardia delicatula
Odontella sp.
Dinoflagellates:
Protoperidinium conicum
*dino IDs here are probably compromised: it was tough to spot any rare dinos through the loopy tangle of C. debilis*
The Chaetoceros cells tended strongly towards aggregation while in the petri dish. Aggregation was into ribbons of biomass, not towards the dish edges or according to light direction.
By Jenny Lane
Sampling time: 9:05am
Weather: Sunny, calm.
Water color: Emerald green
Water conditions: Very little water movement. The Point was breaking through Cowell’s - lots of surfers out
Water visibility: About 6′
Water temp: 11.7C (0′) 11.9C (int) - up one degree from last week.
Tide: Low/flood (-0.01m at 8:05)
Other obs: Fishermen on hand this week. Water clarity improved slightly this week. Water this morning was glassy and green. Wharf construction near the sampling site has finished. A small pack of seal lions were lounging and somersaulting nearby the sample site during sampling. Low shorebird activity, despite the fishermen catching and releasing small bait fish.
Phytoplankton biomass was up notably from last week. Chaetoceros cf. debilis was especially prevalent, and Chaetoceros spp. overall ranked in as abundant - but not yet near bloom designation. The dinoflagellates made a reappearance this week, having been absent from the samples for some time now.
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Chaetoceros spp.
C. cf. debilis
C. decipiens
Lauderia-like sp.
Thalassiosira (v. small to medium size classes, with v. small size class more abundant).
Coscinodiscus
Corethron sp.
Ditylum sp.
Thalassionema sp.
Pleurosigma sp.
Navicula sp.
poss. Cerataulina pelagica
Dinoflagellates:
Protoperidinium spp.
P. cf. steinii
P. cf. conicum
poss. Lingulodinium polyedrum - very rare
By Jenny Lane Read the rest of this entry »
Please scroll down to see March plankton reports.
By Jenny Lane
Sampling time: 8:30am
Weather: Sunny, moderate cold wind.
Water color: tan-green
Water conditions: Low tide at sampling, very little water movement. Steamer’s was breaking at the Point through Indicators.
Water visibility: about 1′
Water temp: 11.0C (0′) 11.0C (int).
Tide: low (1.1 at 8:23am)
Other obs: No fishermen this week, though there was a surveyor out looking for them (too bad - she missed them by a week). Since last week, the water has paled and has taken on a sickly tan overtone - most likely a result of the sediment flushed into the Bay by the heavy weekend rains. A rivulet has again established itself through Cowell’s Beach, just beside the Wharf. Water visibility was very low. Wharf construction continues near the sampling site.
The sample was slightly sparser than last week, in terms of phytoplankton biomass.
Here’s how the assemblage looked:
Diatoms:
Coscinodiscus spp., small and mid-size mostly. Again this week the most prevalent of the phyto.
Ditylum sp. - rare, down in abundance
Chaetoceros cf. debilis - small fragments, very rare
Pleurosigma sp.- rare
Dinoflagellates:
Again, none observed.
Other:
- Still an over-abundance of very active ciliates.
- More detritus compared to last week: sediment, fine sand, fine clay particles.
