Temporal Distribution of Plankton in the Mid-Puget Sound Region
Presentation Abstract
Seasonal temporal distribution of plankton is being collected from an inflow line at a public aquarium in Des Moines, WA using citizen science. Phytoplankton is a key group of organisms that are vital to the ecosystem as primary producers. Additionally, zooplankton species are the foundation of the marine food web. Identifying the presence and absence of planktonic species is an opportunity to teach the public about plankton life cycles, species diversity, and ecological concepts pertinent to marine life. The intention of the project is to design a protocol for citizen science research at the MaST Center aquarium. In this citizen science project, volunteers and students have the opportunity to be trained how to ask scientific questions, make observations, collect data, and keep records of their findings. The goal is to maintain this monitoring project over an extended period of time at the MaST Center to observe fluctuations in plankton diversity and abundance. Plankton research provides both a prospect for scientific inquiry in understanding species distribution in the Pacific Northwest and to educate the public on the importance of plankton to marine ecosystem health.
Session Title
Session S-01D: Pelagic Ecology in the Salish Sea I
Conference Track
Species and Food Webs
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
1-5-2014 5:00 PM
End Date
1-5-2014 6:30 PM
Location
Room 6C
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Marine zooplankton--Washington (State)--Puget Sound--Geographical distribution; Marine zooplankton--Monitoring--Washington (State)--Puget Sound--Citizen participation
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Temporal Distribution of Plankton in the Mid-Puget Sound Region
Room 6C
Seasonal temporal distribution of plankton is being collected from an inflow line at a public aquarium in Des Moines, WA using citizen science. Phytoplankton is a key group of organisms that are vital to the ecosystem as primary producers. Additionally, zooplankton species are the foundation of the marine food web. Identifying the presence and absence of planktonic species is an opportunity to teach the public about plankton life cycles, species diversity, and ecological concepts pertinent to marine life. The intention of the project is to design a protocol for citizen science research at the MaST Center aquarium. In this citizen science project, volunteers and students have the opportunity to be trained how to ask scientific questions, make observations, collect data, and keep records of their findings. The goal is to maintain this monitoring project over an extended period of time at the MaST Center to observe fluctuations in plankton diversity and abundance. Plankton research provides both a prospect for scientific inquiry in understanding species distribution in the Pacific Northwest and to educate the public on the importance of plankton to marine ecosystem health.
