Red Tide - Santa Barbara Coast - 2010 07-02

A plankton sample was taken in the red tide. Photos of red tide organisms are shown here.

Red tide (mostly Lingulodinium polyedrum) outside Santa Barbara Harbor. The microscopic photos follow this image.
red tide 2010 Coast Lingulodinium polyedrum
Red tide sample, approximately 1/100th of a drop, photographed at 40x. The dominant species is the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum. Other dinoflagellates visible in much less abundance are Prorocentrum micans, Ceratium furca and one Ceratium divaricatum. To give an idea of the population densities we are seeing in this red tide, the 20um mesh net with a 0.15m radius was towed 2 meters to yield this sample.
Lingulodinium polyedrum red tide 2010 Coast
The dominant red tide species in our region is a dinoflagellate, Lingulodinium polyedrum. The live cells are reddish-orange, and the empty frustules are clear-grey. The red water color is caused by the tremendous abundance of this microorganisms. You are looking at approximately 1/1000th of a drop of the sample in this image. 100x, but enlarged with software.
Lingulodinium polyedrum red tide 2010 Coast 093
A close look at the dinoflagellate, Lingulodinium polyedrum. 200x, but enlarged with software.
Lingulodinium polyedrum red tide 2010 Coast 078
The dinoflagellate, Lingulodinium polyedrum. 400x
Lingulodinium polyedrum red tide 2010 Coast 069
A "green tide" nearshore, and a "red tide" offshore, Ventura, CA.
Lingulodinium red tide green 2010 Ventura 006
Pseudo Nitzschia & domoic acid
Pseudo Nitzschia domoic acid
red tide info sheet
red tide info sheet

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