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Algal blooms and their guards

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 6:31 pm
by hkv
This fall I made a small contribution to a research project at Lunds University in Sweden. It was another member of this forum that introduced me to the project (Viktor J Nilsson). A big thank you for that Victor!

The project was about keeping track of harmful alga blooms. Residents around Vombjsön (Vomb Lake) helped researchers from Lund with daily water samples. The purpose was to study how the algal blooms in the lake are affected by the weather, not least the heat waves of recent years. One theory is that recent years' extreme weather is affecting the algal flora in the lake. During the extremely dry summer of 2018, the content of cyanobacteria decreased. In their place came a completely different group of algae, dinoflagellates. It seems knowledge about the dinoflagellates is limited, for example, it is unclear whether they can develop poison in an environment similar to that in Lake Vomb which was studied. The voluntary samplers followed the algae growth between July and September to see which of the two algae groups dominates in Vombsjön this year. The measurement results are published continuously and my contribution was to take a few photographs of what the samplers found. Below I selected a few photographs that I took in September/October using the samples I received. At this time of the year, the cyanobacteria had started to decline in favor of diatoms.

ImageStaurastrum, Aulacoseira granulata, Stephanodiscus by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageDiatom - Asterionella formosa by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageStephanodiscus and Closterium by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageWoronichinia by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageNaiadinium polonium by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageStephanodiscus, Aulacoseira granulata, Fragilaria crotonensis by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageStephanodiscus and Closterium by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageNassula sp. by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageDolichospermum sp. by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageDolichospermum sp. by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageFragilaria crotonensis by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageFragilaria crotonensis by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageWoronichinia by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImagePediastrum duplex by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

ImageDolichospermum sp. by Håkan Kvarnström, on Flickr

Re: Algal blooms and their guards

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 6:49 pm
by Wes
Wow! Extremely good images Håkan.

Re: Algal blooms and their guards

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 7:57 pm
by Hobbyst46
All are fantastic, and my favorite winner is the green Closterium with two Stephanodiscus sattelites near the tow ends, on a dark blue background..

Re: Algal blooms and their guards

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:52 pm
by 75RR
I think it is great that you are able to contribute to this interesting project. Do keep us informed.

Lovely images. Fantastic detail on the Pediastrum duplex and on the cytros on the nassula sp!

Re: Algal blooms and their guards

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:00 pm
by hkv
Wes wrote:
Sun Dec 20, 2020 6:49 pm
Wow! Extremely good images Håkan

Thanks!

75RR wrote:
Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:52 pm
Hobbyst46 wrote:
Sun Dec 20, 2020 7:57 pm
All are fantastic, and my favorite winner is the green Closterium with two Stephanodiscus sattelites near the tow ends, on a dark blue background..

Interesting that you say that, because others have said the same. Personally I find it interesting to compare the size between the diatom and the closterium. The diatoms looks o small next the the giant closterium.
Hobbyst46 wrote:
Sun Dec 20, 2020 7:57 pm
75RR wrote:
Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:52 pm
I think it is great that you are able to contribute to this interesting project. Do keep us informed.

Lovely images. Fantastic detail on the Pediastrum duplex!
Thanks, what I like about the Pediastrum duplex is the bristles that are visible at the ends of each "arm". I have never seen this before. Only in drawings in books but never in a photograph. I first thought they very flagella like, but apparently, they are stiffer.

Re: Algal blooms and their guards

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2020 9:14 pm
by D0c
Wow simply amazing.

Re: Algal blooms and their guards

Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2020 2:16 am
by tgss
Outstanding!
Tom W.