Participated a course arranged by the Finnish Environment Institute on Thursday in Helsinki. Soon we will be able to send the results of our phytoplankton countings to the national database for phtyoplankton, which is again linked to the national database for all the information concerning the surface waters (place, physical and chemical information...). And be able to use this information. And co...
Plankton
Inland Water Biology
Found this journal, Inland Water Biology. There are wonderfull photo's of diatoms by S.I. Genkal. And many articles about zooplankton too, this fascinating group that many times is forgotten. What makes it extra interesting on these lati- and longitudes is the fact that many articles deal with Karelian waters. Take a look!
Speciesism
I often feel quite uncomfortable, when I see some strange green balls under the microscope. If these green algae are the kind that I don't know so well. And if I have difficulties identifying them. So that I don't know in which group they belong to. So that I don't now their background. So that I don't know how I should handle them. It does not feel good.In these cases there is nothing else for me...
Smells like sh*t
Got this telephone call from a consulting company. There had been complaints that something smelled like cow dung at a lake, so they took a sample from the ice on this lake. The farmers are not yet busy... They could see something in the sample.I had some difficulties trying to identify the species on the telephone... In the last sample of the year there had been a lot of the diatom Aulacoseira is...
The first sample of the year
Went on a ski-tour the other day and found some open water in the middle of the field:No, that's not me on the photo. It's our beloved dog, Drosjna, 13 years old and still going strong. Here you have a shadow of me:Was wondering what kind of algae would like to live there. Came back another day with an empty bottle and see here the result:9-10,5 x 25-34 µmNavicula's all over, gliding elegantly ove...
U.F.O.
This Unidentified Floating Object does not remain unidentified for a long time, not even for a beginner. At least, if there is some decent literature at hand. Desmatractum indutum, 9x55 µm. Looks like an alien space ship. But it is a green-algae: Desmatractum indutum. Belongs to the little family of Treubariaceae. According to Komárek & Fott (1983). And Algaebase. The wonderful Dutch species lis...
I take this as a sign
All right, I will make an appointment. Next week. The first thing.I have been thinking about going to the hairdresser a couple of weeks already. Maybe it has something to do with a new year beginning, that I want to have something new – if not in, then at least – on my head. Was thinking about a Siimes-look, about 5 mm long hair, but it’s a bit too cold for it at the moment. Last time I visited a ...
Some old and some new friends
Checking the samples this week saw the fine little golden-algae Chrysolykos planctonicus in the Dutch water. In the Finnish waters this species rejoices my days frequently, but not too often in the Low Land waters. This species is one of my all time favorites. Makes me think of a swimming cow, somehow. No wonder it makes me happy.Chrysolykos plactonicus B. Mack 1951, size about 10-20 micrometers. ...
In strange waters again
...after a minor brake I thought I'd start blogging again... It sure takes a bit of effort to get used to the Dutch waters again. Seeing different species, and more rubbish (if you don't mind me being so direct) and last but not least using the very different, less intensive way of counting the samples. Why does for example the species Hortobagyiella verrucosa not want to drift in the Finnish wat...
The star of Betlehem
The first sample of the year... always a pleasure. Even more so, when one does not have to travel far nor carry a lot of equipment. I just walked to the other side of our garden with an empty yoghurt can in my hand.Near the rock there are two deeper places on the ground, which are filled with water if it has been wet. And it has. The water is not only surface water, because it stays there much lon...