Phytoplankton samples were collected on April 29, 2026 at Bullock Reach and analyzed in the laboratory shortly after collection.
On this day, the water temperature was 10.70 °C, the salinity was 24.63 PSU.
The qualitative tow net sample had a moderate filtration time. The filtrate was cloudy and reddish brown with some darker particulates.
The analysis of the quantitative whole water sample revealed a total of 2,224,000 cells/L. The microflagellates were found at 194,000 cells/L. The most predominant phytoplankton genera were Skeletonema spp. at 1,694,000 cells/L, Thalassiosira spp. at 128,000 cells/L, and Chaetoceros spp.at 92,000 cells/L.
200x phase contrast image of Asterionellopsis spp.
Asterionellopsis is a genus of neritic pennate diatom found in cold to temperate coastal waters. Their cells have two chloroplasts each and are joined by valve faces into star-shaped or spiraling chains.