Excerpt: UV fluorescence is a valuable tool for oceanic studies, as it allows researchers to identify and quantify the presence of specific substances in the ocean, as well as study the physical and chemical properties of seawater and the biology of marine organisms. It is sensitive, fast, and easy to use, and can provide valuable insights into the ocean's ecosystem and climateRead more
Excerpt: What is bioluminescence? Bioluminescence is light produced or emitted by organisms through biochemical reactions, which acts as an alarm system when the organism is excited, disturbed or stimulated, with other uses including communications to other members of the species, to evade or warn predators and lure in prey. Bioluminescence is usually a blue greenish cold light – most marine organism are sensitive to mainly or only to light near the blue spectrum. Around 80% of marine animals living in the deep waters of about 200m to 1000m possess a form of bioluminescence, with the most remarkable bioluminescent aquatic creature being jellyfish. About 50% of jellyfish are bioluminescent and there are over 80 different species of bioluminescent jellyfish in oceans aroundRead more
Excerpt: LabSTAF was an important part of the research conducted on the Seine estuary. Its active fluorimeter and fluoroprobe were used to measure photosynthetic parameters and determine the phytoplankton community. The results showed that primary production was mainly controlled by light availability and nutrients in late spring and summer periods. The phytoplankton dynamics were linked to the N:P balance, and not to absolute P concentrations, suggesting that the relative low P input compared to N was the main cause of the system‘s dystrophic nutrient balance. Furthermore, the local effect of tide lowering water residence time in a specific part of the estuary could explain the bloom area. LabSTAF is a reliable and accurate tool for monitoring and assessing coastal systems. ItRead more
Excerpt: A GlowTracka was used to record daily patterns of stimulated bioluminescence at a remote shallow site in the Finnish Archipelago Sea during an Alexandrium ostenfeldii bloom. Transect measurements showed bioluminescence was highly localized prior to the peak of the bloom, which spanned 15 days in mid–August. Nightly intensities varied greatly throughout the duration of the event. Bioluminescence emitted from A. ostenfeldii cells intensified after sundown, reaching a peak around midnight and continuing into the wee hours. Chlorophyll–a fluorescence was found to be strongly correlated with bioluminescence intensity during the bloom, and infrequent cell counts confirmed the presence of the dinoflagellate species. Low concentrations of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins were detected throughout the sampling period, while higher concentrations were limited toRead more
Excerpt: This study, conducted during the summer of 2003 in the southern sea of Korea, used our novel real–time monitoring system to monitor physical and chemical factors that may control the occurrence of red tides. The system, GlowTracka, measured bioluminescence in real–time, to indicate the presence of bioluminescent dinoflagellate species. Unexpectedly, a sudden increase in the presence of dinoflagellates coincided with the lowest concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients. This data supports the hypothesis that the outbreak of dinoflagellate red tides is linked to the limited growth of diatoms under reduced levels of dissolved inorganic phosphorus and nitrogen. The study suggests that this real–time monitoring system can be used as an effective tool for both understanding and predicting dinoflagellate red tides in coastalRead more
