Magnifying Our Plankton Knowledge
Feiro’s Sound Toxins citizen science team, which normally meets weekly to sample phytoplankton (microscopic algae), made their annual trip to the program’s regional conference in Seattle this February. This meeting brings together a room full of excited plankton nerds: citizen scientists, experts from around the region and country, shellfish growers, organizational staff, and more to exchange information and ideas. The Sound Toxins program, managed regionally by Washington Sea Grant and the Washington State Department of Health, functions as an early warning network through which citizen scientists monitor phytoplankton, especially species that produce toxins harmful to human health. A lot of work goes in to keep everyone safe from diseases from plankton-produced toxins in shellfish, and Feiro’s Sound Toxins volunteers contribute a piece of that puzzle. Plus, the plankton can be surprisingly beautiful!
Feiro’s team, currently consisting of four citizen scientist volunteers, has been participating in this program February 2023, with weekly sampling since June 2023. That contribution to regional science was one of the best parts of attending the annual meeting, as the team got to see the scale and expertise of the network it contributes to firsthand. After dropping off 100 vials containing a year’s worth of our plankton samples, we heard a summary of the plankton observed by all sites throughout the region during 2024. The El Nino effect during 2024 caused warmer winter conditions and a change in seasonal upwelling patterns, meaning the seasonal patterns in plankton abundance were less pronounced than usual. We spent the first day of the meeting practicing the identification of important and emerging toxin-producing plankton, through practice under the microscope and tips from the plankton experts at the meeting. Both Karenia and Azadinium are newly required plankton species to be reported to Sound Toxins as harmful plankton this year, so we paid particular attention to those! We also learned that the data we’ve collected each week and in the future will be added to the phytoplankton vital sign indicator, a new project to make phytoplankton and harmful algal bloom information more accessible to all.
Another great part of this annual meeting is learning about the latest advancements in the field from full-time professionals. We heard about research including emergency response mapping of plankton cysts following a toxic bloom, more efficient rapid response tests for disease-causing toxins, and how climate-related conditions like temperature and pH may affect the likelihood of plankton blooms.
“I really enjoy going to the annual Sound Toxins meeting. I get to meet citizen science volunteers from lots of different backgrounds and hear about the latest phytoplankton research all in the same place.”
-Nancy Stephanz, Sound Toxins citizen scientist
As with any conference, some of the best parts are the connections with others – whether formal, or as chats during breaks. One plankton scientist, Kate Hubbard, came all the way from Florida to share her expertise on Karenia and more with the group. Feiro facilities assistant Amelia happened to touch base with the Sound Toxins volunteer who first introduced her to the program during a university class two years ago, and the Feiro team got to talk aquarium systems and animal husbandry with the lead aquarist of the MaST Center. The conference concluded with a group roundtable on possible improvements to the program’s structure and network, and very nerdy group laughter as our final presenter showed a musical “memorial” slide for plankton that had changed species names.
