Friday, January 23, 2015

A Bioluminescent Bloom in Hong Kong - The Atlantic

The Atlantic Photo writes A Bioluminescent Bloom in Hong Kong "A bloom of Noctiluca scintillans, a large, green marine dinoflagellate that exhibits bioluminescence when disturbed, was captured in photos made earlier today in Hong Kong, with a long exposure showing an eerie glow along the seashore. The luminescence, also called Sea Sparkle, is triggered by farm pollution that can be devastating to marine life and local fisheries, according to University of Georgia oceanographer Samantha Joye. Noctiluca itself does not produce neurotoxins like other similar organisms do. But its role as both prey and predator can eventually magnify the accumulation of toxins in the food chain, according to R. Eugene Turner at Louisiana State University."

Main 1500 500

1 comment:

grahams said...

The Bioluminescent Bay in Vieques remains one of the coolest things I've ever witnessed.. We took a tour of it at night in translucent canoes on one of our trips and it was so cool... Motion is what triggers the glowing in the Dinoflagellates, so every paddle caused them to glow as did the boat moving thru the water...