UCSB Science Line
Sponge Spicules Nerve Cells Galaxy Abalone Shell Nickel Succinate X-ray Lens Lupine
UCSB Science Line
Home
How it Works
Ask a Question
Search Topics
Webcasts
Our Scientists
Science Links
Contact Information
Hi! I am working on a science fair project for my chemistry class. My question for my project is: How does concentrations of Pseudontzchia, the phytoplankton found in seawater that can produce domoic acid affect intertidal invertebrates? Would you use a plankton net to collect seawater samples of phytoplankton and other organisms? In my experiment I am thinking of taking the pH levels for each quantity of seawater to test the acidity of each sample I take. Do you know anything about domoic acid and its relationship to phytoplankton? I have found a few research sources on the subject in regards to domoic acid but not enough to help me experiment.
Question Date: 2008-02-26
Answer 1:

Apart from the fact that the phytoplankton produce it,I don't know how plankton relate to the toxin, or if its effects are pH-specific. If you modify pH much,though, you will kill the alga, which will cause it to stop producing.

I don't know if the plankton has a life cycle that spends part of its time in animal tissues (resulting in said animals becoming toxic). If so, then a collection net wouldn't catch it. Otherwise, it would.



Click Here to return to the search form.

University of California, Santa Barbara Materials Research Laboratory National Science Foundation
This program is co-sponsored by the National Science Foundation and UCSB School-University Partnerships
Copyright © 2020 The Regents of the University of California,
All Rights Reserved.
UCSB Terms of Use