The Wells group has been on three cruises on the Thompson within the past 12 months. This photo of Mark and I going out in the small boat to collect sea water samples is from last September. We analyzed the water samples for iron.
(Photo by Denis Costello)
VANCOUVER ISLAND COASTAL WATERS (May 17, 2007): Today I unpacked some of my equipment and prepared for our first set of experiments which will be looking at the uptake of iron by bacteria and phytoplankton. Why does it matter? Iron chemistry in seawater is really complex; I don’t think anyone understands it completely. But the toxicity of blooms (a bloom is a large increase in numbers, like what happens when we have a red tide on the coast of Maine) of Pseudo-nitzschia diatoms seems to be related to 1) the level of iron in the seawater and 2) what form the iron is in. You may have heard about the recent toxic “algal” bloom in California. That was the very same Pseudo-nitzschia.
Iron in seawater is, in a sense, sticky, in that it gets attached to different organic materials, (dead phytoplankton debris and various other forms of dead stuff along with chemicals purposefully given off by bacteria and phytoplankton ). Some bacteria and phytoplankton can “unglue” the iron from this organic sticky trap and others cannot. The ones that can, get to the iron first. The early bird gets the worm sort of thing.
Iron in seawater is, in a sense, sticky, in that it gets attached to different organic materials, (dead phytoplankton debris and various other forms of dead stuff along with chemicals purposefully given off by bacteria and phytoplankton ). Some bacteria and phytoplankton can “unglue” the iron from this organic sticky trap and others cannot. The ones that can, get to the iron first. The early bird gets the worm sort of thing.
Why do they want it? Because, despite the thousands of rusty ships out here, iron is in short supply. In fact without iron, it doesn’t matter how much other food or nutrients there are, these little phytoplankton can’t grow. It’s kind of like having a lifetime supply of Twinkies, but nothing else. It wouldn’t matter how many Twinkies you ate, eventually you be starving for nutrients that Twinkies can’t supply. Which, to my knowledge would be most of them. But, enough with the science!
It was raw and cold this morning as we began our trek north along the coast of Vancouver Island. We are about 10 miles out. Unfortunately, the clouds and fog have hidden the mountains most of the day. Even so, I can occasionally catch a glimpse of a peak which appears to rise straight out of the sea with no surrounding lowlands. As if one submerged Mount Katahdin half-way into the sea. Covered in the fog and mists, these hills have an otherworldly appearance. No whales today and not many seabirds. Although, to be honest, I haven’t had much time to look.
It is interesting to be back on the Thompson so soon, as we were out here on another cruise just last September and October and before that some of our group were out on the Thomopson last May. I am beginning to feel like this ship is my home away from home. It is nice to see a few new faces this cruise.
Well, I guess it is time to get back to work.
