Comments on: Kyle Mayers: What does the ocean mean to me?

By: Lynn Loader

Lynn Loader — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 06:36:19 +0000

I once spent an evening on a boat sailing through bioluminescence in Mexico, as part of a whale-watching expedition. I had never expected to see such a thing, and found it utterly spellbinding. Nature can trump anything that we mere humans can come up with!

By: Kyle Mayers

Kyle Mayers — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 12:56:36 +0000

That is great news! My undergraduate degree was in biology and there wasn’t much marine study either, but it provides some fantastic examples of ecological principles.

As far as I am aware, there is no ‘pre defined conditions’ needed. Bioluminescence happens in tropical waters and even in Arctic waters and in the deep oceans where temperatures are much cooler. For some organisms (such as dinoflagellates) they just require physical stimulation (sailing, waves crashing) and this is enough to catalyse the reaction causing the production of light (as a photon).
There is a wonderful image I have seen of bioluminesence under the ice in Svalbard, I will see if I can find it for you.

By: Kyle Mayers

Kyle Mayers — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 12:49:08 +0000

Thanks for your comment Paula! The bioblitz sounds like an amazing experience.
I know what you mean, the various forms of plankton is incredible! I’ve spent many hours just looking down a microscope enjoying the diversity. I think the Science Museum sell a portable microscope which goes to x40 magnification, I may have to get one and take it around with me 🙂

By: Paula Warren

Paula Warren — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 00:18:17 +0000

Good to know there are other people out there who love the little things that make the world run. Most biodiversity work is fixated with birds and marine mammals, but it’s the plankton that drives the systems. I helped run a marine bioblitz a few years ago, and a kid brought in some seaweed off the beach, and we then spent ages watching caprellids and pycnogonids doing their thing. And of course many of the red seaweeds were fantastic under the microscope – almost more beautiful than the liverworts I normally work on (as an amateur when I have time).

By: Alison Lardi

Alison Lardi — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 17:07:39 +0000

Ocean life is barely touched in the current A level syllabuses, but I try to bring it into my teaching whenever I can, especially when we are discussing diversity and the delicate balance of ecosystems.

I’m looking forward to getting more examples to share with my students. I have come across bioluminescence whilst sailing in the summer – what is the combination of conditions needed to produce it? I’m assuming it was to be warm enough and enough light for the dinoflagellates?

thanks

Alison