Tracking Phytoplankton

Billions of tiny plankton are floating in the estuary and Gulf of Maine. These microscopic creatures form the foundation of the food web. They are fun to look at under a microscope and come in many different shapes and sizes. The populations change throughout the year as water temperatures, currents, and nutrients change. A few species of these tiny plankton produce toxins that can make people sick if they happen to eat shellfish that have been eating these plankton. To prevent that from happening, the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) has an extensive testing program. One piece of that program is water sampling stations scattered along the coast. Some of these sites are tested by DMR staff, and some are tested by volunteers. KELT coordinates a crew of volunteers who sample one site off of Bay Point Road in Georgetown. The volunteers sample the site every week from May through October and they report the results to the DMR.