• Skip to main content
logo for Alaska Center for Conservation Science

Alaska Center for Conservation Science

Fostering research, education, and collaboration on biological conservation and natural resource management in Alaska and the Arctic

  • Home
  • About
    • Staff, Faculty, and Students
    • Support Our Program
    • Opportunities
    • Contact
    • Our Partners
  • Research
    • Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
    • Invasive Species
    • Aquatic Ecology
    • Vegetation
    • Wildlife
    • Landscape Ecology
  • Data and Services
    • Data Catalog
    • Conservation Data Portals
    • Code Repository
    • Services
  • Publications

Phytoplankton Update (July 24th – July 30th, 2020)

August 17, 2020 By Jasmine Maurer

Hello Everyone, As July ends and we welcome August we are in the time of year that we have typically seen more toxin producing phytoplankton in Kachemak Bay. There are three species of concern in Kachemak Bay that can produce toxins and lead to shellfish poisoning when shellfish accumulate these species, they are Alexandrium, Dinophysis and Pseudo-nitzschia. In Alaska the presence of these species has not yet been associated with any change in the color of the water. A few factors that can influence the color of our coastal waters are run-off, spruce pollen or other pollens, and tidal changes. To date harmful algal blooms in Kachemak Bay have not been associated with changes in water color. Toxins produced by harmful algal blooms are accumulated and flushed from shellfish tissue at different rates depending on the shellfish species. Mussels for example tend to accumulate toxins relatively rapidly and flush them over several days. This contrasts with the butter clam that can accumulate toxins and remain toxic for up to 2 years. Washing, cooking and freezing do not break down the toxins in shellfish tissue.

For more information on this Phytoplankton Update and the Qualitative Analysis of Phytoplankton Data, click here.

2020 Updates

Filed Under: KBNERR Harmful Algal Bloom Updates

© 2021 Alaska Center for Conservation Science. This website was designed and is maintained by the University of Alaska Anchorage-Alaska Center for Conservation Science (UAA-ACCS). The University of Alaska Anchorage is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. University of Alaska (UA) is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: UA Non-discrimination Policy.

Contact Website Administrator | Sitemap

Main Menu

  • Home
  • About
    • Staff, Faculty, and Students
    • Support Our Program
    • Opportunities
    • Contact
    • Our Partners
  • Research
    • Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
    • Invasive Species
    • Aquatic Ecology
    • Vegetation
    • Wildlife
    • Landscape Ecology
  • Data and Services
    • Data Catalog
    • Conservation Data Portals
    • Code Repository
    • Services
  • Publications