Pseudo-nitzschia Cell counts at La Push and Kalaloch

Data provided by Mitch Lesoing and June Schumack, Quileute Natural Resources

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Slide 7. PSEUDO-NITZSCHIA CELL COUNTS AT LA PUSH AND KALALOCH

-Pseudos present at both sites

-Much higher counts at Kalaloch

-Peak around 9/22 at both sites

-Drops way down about 10/10

-Total Pseudo-nitzschia

MESSAGE: POTENTIAL TOXIN PRODUCERS AT BOTH SITES IN SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS

In this slide we can see that cell counts of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. were consistantly higher at Kalaloch, reaching a maximum of nearly 18 million cells per liter. The maximum was reached in mid to late September (September 22) but was apparently preceded by a smaller bloom in mid-August (August 19). Maximum Pseudo-nitzschia counts at La Push (about 40 miles north) were approximately 1/3 of the levels observed at Kalaloch. By October no traces of Pseudo-nitzschia were observed in water samples from both sites--an apparent crash of this diatom. This earlier August 19th bloom had low toxin content. These data would be consistent with the past 8 years of observation that Kalaloch beach razor clams appear to alway show some sign of domoic acid.