What’s green and gold and red all over?
What’s green and gold and red all over? avatar

By , on November 29th, 2012 3 comments   Microbes, Plankton   , , , ,  

There’s a sizable red tide event unfolding in Australia right now, where thick slicks of red planktonic algae are washing up on Sydney’s iconic beaches, including the most famous beach in the whole country: Bondi. Web news sources are replete with dramatic pictures; I especially liked this one of vermilion surf juxtaposed with the tuquoise . . . → Read More: What’s green and gold and red all over?

What’s green and gold and red all over? avatar

San Diego red tide eaten alive by single-celled predator
San Diego red tide eaten alive by single-celled predator avatar

By , on October 23rd, 2011 3 comments   Ecology, Microbes   , , , , , , ,  

GET IN MAH BELLY! These huge predatory dinoflagellates have consumed smaller bioluminescent dinoflagellates. The red tide that has lit San Diego for several weeks is ending in a microscopic bloodbath. The above photo was taken by Linsey Sala, the manager of the Pelagic Invertebrates Collection at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She writes: This image was . . . → Read More: San Diego red tide eaten alive by single-celled predator

San Diego red tide eaten alive by single-celled predator avatar