Diatom?

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Plasmid
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Diatom?

#1 Post by Plasmid » Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:39 am

As the temperatures start to drop here in the South of the US, I have started to notice this particular colony formation on my creek water samples of what I presume are Diatoms. I am aware that identifying the species is pretty difficult, but does anyone know why they form this type of colonies and is it temperature related?
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Greg Howald
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Re: Diatom?

#2 Post by Greg Howald » Tue Dec 08, 2020 5:01 am

According to what I have been able to read, lots of factors come into play here. Water temp. Decreasing sunlight. Change in P H. What your photo looks like is a feeding frenzy, but it may only look like that. It seems likely that they are gathered to something needful for them which is becoming more scarce with the seasonal changes. Perhaps others will have a better explanation.
There is certainly a great deal on line concerning their behavior.
Greg

Greg Howald
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Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:44 am

Re: Diatom?

#3 Post by Greg Howald » Tue Dec 08, 2020 5:03 am

That is a great photo!

Plasmid
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Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2020 5:34 am
Location: North GA
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Re: Diatom?

#4 Post by Plasmid » Tue Dec 08, 2020 1:29 pm

Greg Howald wrote:
Tue Dec 08, 2020 5:03 am
That is a great photo!
Thank you Greg, going over the 967 species listed the only one that comes somewhat close to this one is genus Tabularia but not much else is found.

Red_Green
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Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 9:38 pm

Re: Diatom?

#5 Post by Red_Green » Wed Apr 14, 2021 2:06 am

Plasmid wrote:
Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:39 am
As the temperatures start to drop here in the South of the US, I have started to notice this particular colony formation on my creek water samples of what I presume are Diatoms. I am aware that identifying the species is pretty difficult, but does anyone know why they form this type of colonies and is it temperature related?
Synedra ulna. They commonly form colonies like this.

Greg Howald
Posts: 1185
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:44 am

Re: Diatom?

#6 Post by Greg Howald » Mon Apr 19, 2021 5:47 am

ASTRIONELLA. A diatom that is immolbile. Usually gathers in clusters as shown to be near to a source of silicic acid. Like all diatoms It uses silicic acid to from a transparent silica shell. That seems strange to think that this living thing makes glass. Diatoms are an algae. They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, but unlike photosynthesis no light is required. Their process to produce oxygen is due to a chemical reaction not yet fully understood.

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