Monitoring Bloom Dynamics of a Common Coastal Bioluminescent Ctenophore

• Main Author: Widder, Edith A.
• Other Authors: OCEAN RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION FORT PIERCE FL
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Fluid Mechanics; Thermodynamics; *BIOLUMINESCENCE; *BLOOMING; *MONITORING; *COASTAL REGIONS; ZOOPLANKTON; CARNIVORA; RUNOFF; GROUND WATER; DYNAMICS; PREDICTIONS; WATERSHEDS; *CTENOPHORE; MESOZOOPLANKTON; Sullivan; Orca
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA541772; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA541772

The long-term objective is to develop predictive models of bioluminescence potential in the coastal zone environment. OBJECTIVES: In the coastal zone, watershed run-off and discharge of submarine ground-water can profoundly impact growth conditions of bioluminescent plankton on very short space and time scales. Bioluminescent blooms include dinoflagellate red tides, which are occurring more frequently, lasting longer and extending further off shore due to excessive nutrient loading from land-based run-off. Bioluminescent blooms of the carnivorous ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi that may be either seasonal or event driven can also develop on remarkably short time scales (Kremer, 1994) and also appear to be on the increase (Sullivan et al., 2001). The Ocean Research and Conservation Association's (ORCA) objective is to improve understanding of the conditions leading to bioluminescent blooms in coastal waters such that forecasting is possible. Achieving this requires more frequent, automated sampling of greater spatial density, a reduction in dependence upon hand sampling, and automating all aspects of the data collection and analysis processes.