Phytoplankton samples were collected on April 17, 2025 at Bullock Reach and analyzed in the laboratory shortly after collection.
It was sunny, clear and breezy on this day. The water temperature was 6.11 degrees Celsius, and Sonde data was not recorded.
The qualitative tow net sample had a moderate filtration time and the filtrate was golden brown with some particulates.
The analysis of the quantitative whole water sample revealed a total of 590,000 cells/L. The microflagellates were found at 337,000 cells/L. The most predominant phytoplankton genera were Dinoflagellate spp. at 93,000 cells/L, Thalassiosira spp. at 44,000 cells/L, and Chaetoceros spp. at 43,000 cells/L.
Pleurosigma is a genus of marine pelagic diatoms which are shaped like an elongated diamond. They are present throughout the world and breed particularly well in bays, inlets and ports. These diatoms are motile, and they employ a pulsating of the body to induce gliding movement as well as occasional circular rotations around one end of the organism to change course.