Join us and learn about the wonderful world of west coast seaweeds - Tuesday July 15th from 10am - 4pm on the lighthouse loop in the discovery tent! 🌿
Come on down to check out a seaweed touch pool and learn how these incredible algae support marine life, fight climate change, and even end up on our plates!
📸 @brclarkston
#raincoasteducationsociety #outdooreducation #raincoasteducation
#wildpacifictrail #discoverucluelet #shorebirds #learning #outdoored #experientallearning #naturebasedlearning #natureschool #tofino #ucluelet #vancouverisland #events #communityevents
Jul 14
Join us and learn about the wonderful world of west coast seaweeds - Tuesday July 15th from 10am - 4pm on the lighthouse loop in the discovery tent! 🌿
Come on down to check out a seaweed touch pool and learn how these incredible algae support marine life, fight climate change, and even end up on our plates!
📸 @brclarkston
#raincoasteducationsociety #outdooreducation #raincoasteducation
#wildpacifictrail #discoverucluelet #shorebirds #learning #outdoored #experientallearning #naturebasedlearning #natureschool #tofino #ucluelet #vancouverisland #events #communityevents
The Plankton Bloom in Barkley Sound. Why do plankton “bloom”?
Phytoplankton will bloom in nutrient-rich waters and favorable temperate conditions (10–20°C). Our ocean temperature has averaged around 11–13°C as of late, causing the bloom to be a reflection of the mass increase in population of these phytoplankton. Similar to spring and all the flowers blooming, this bloom is causing a beautiful torquoisy-green colour to appear in Barkley Sound.
The almost tropical-like plankton bloom we see is currently being caused by a single-celled phytoplankton named Coccolithophores. These plankton friends show how tough they are with their entire plating of limestone (calcite). The limestone scales they surround themselves with reflect the sunlight and create that amazing colour we are seeing in the ocean. Scientists estimate that these organisms dump more than 1.5 million tons of calcite a year.
Coccolithophores are an important part of the biological carbon pump. Although, if their bloom (or any phytoplankton bloom) begins to get too dense, it could disrupt the distribution of nutrients to other organisms. The warmer the water gets, the easier it is for these organisms to reproduce and create a denser bloom.
📸 @onthebeach_tofino
#plankton #blooms #coccolithophores #stem #science #research
Jul 14
The Plankton Bloom in Barkley Sound. Why do plankton “bloom”?
Phytoplankton will bloom in nutrient-rich waters and favorable temperate conditions (10–20°C). Our ocean temperature has averaged around 11–13°C as of late, causing the bloom to be a reflection of the mass increase in population of these phytoplankton. Similar to spring and all the flowers blooming, this bloom is causing a beautiful torquoisy-green colour to appear in Barkley Sound.
The almost tropical-like plankton bloom we see is currently being caused by a single-celled phytoplankton named Coccolithophores. These plankton friends show how tough they are with their entire plating of limestone (calcite). The limestone scales they surround themselves with reflect the sunlight and create that amazing colour we are seeing in the ocean. Scientists estimate that these organisms dump more than 1.5 million tons of calcite a year.
Coccolithophores are an important part of the biological carbon pump. Although, if their bloom (or any phytoplankton bloom) begins to get too dense, it could disrupt the distribution of nutrients to other organisms. The warmer the water gets, the easier it is for these organisms to reproduce and create a denser bloom.
📸 @onthebeach_tofino
#plankton #blooms #coccolithophores #stem #science #research
🌊 Beach Seine Time! Thursday July 10th, 1 - 4pm 🐟
Join us for a hands-on marine adventure as we explore the incredible life hiding in our local eelgrass meadows! With boots on and nets ready, we’ll gently pull a seine net through the shallows and discover what critters call this habitat home.
From curious crabs to slippery fish, every creature is safely observed and then returned to the sea. 🦀🐠
👢 Wear gumboots
📍 Meet at the beach
🔍 Explore, discover, learn
A fun, family-friendly way to connect with the coast and learn about local ecosystems!
#outdoorlearning #raincoasteducation #sciencenerd #beachseine #explorelearning #getoutside #stem
Jul 9
🌊 Beach Seine Time! Thursday July 10th, 1 - 4pm 🐟
Join us for a hands-on marine adventure as we explore the incredible life hiding in our local eelgrass meadows! With boots on and nets ready, we’ll gently pull a seine net through the shallows and discover what critters call this habitat home.
From curious crabs to slippery fish, every creature is safely observed and then returned to the sea. 🦀🐠
👢 Wear gumboots
📍 Meet at the beach
🔍 Explore, discover, learn
A fun, family-friendly way to connect with the coast and learn about local ecosystems!
#outdoorlearning #raincoasteducation #sciencenerd #beachseine #explorelearning #getoutside #stem
🌊🦠 Plankton: the wanderers of the sea!
From microscopic drifters to jellyfish giants, plankton live at the mercy of the ocean’s currents — and yet, they’re absolutely essential to life on Earth. 🌍
Join us in the courtyard at Tofino Resort + Marina to explore this hidden, dynamic world! 🧪 Watch us collect live samples from our coastal waters using a plankton tow, then peer into the micro-verse and test your microscope skills. 🔬 You never know what tiny creatures you might discover!
#PlanktonParty #TofinoScience #OceanExplorers #RaincoastEducationSociety #MicroscopicMarvels
Jul 8
🌊🦠 Plankton: the wanderers of the sea!
From microscopic drifters to jellyfish giants, plankton live at the mercy of the ocean’s currents — and yet, they’re absolutely essential to life on Earth. 🌍
Join us in the courtyard at Tofino Resort + Marina to explore this hidden, dynamic world! 🧪 Watch us collect live samples from our coastal waters using a plankton tow, then peer into the micro-verse and test your microscope skills. 🔬 You never know what tiny creatures you might discover!
#PlanktonParty #TofinoScience #OceanExplorers #RaincoastEducationSociety #MicroscopicMarvels
Join us & learn about the Pacific Herring - Tuesday, July 8th from 10am - 4pm on the Lighthouse Loop in the Discovery Tent! 🐟️
During spring every year the Pacific Herring find themselves along Ucluelet and Tofino coastlines, primarily due to abundant food sources and favourable environmental conditions. These little fish spawn along our coast and leave a pulse of energy and nutrients to our coastal ecosystem. Pacific Herring are a crucial food source for a wide range of predators and admired as a delicacy among Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ and Tla-o-qui-aht groups. The Nuu-chah-nulth translation for herring roe is k̓ʷaqmis.
Photo: (k̓ʷaqmis on cedar branches)
#raincoasteducationsociety #outdooreducation #raincoasteducation
#wildpacifictrail #discoverucluelet #learning #outdoored #experientallearning #naturebasedlearning #natureschool #tofino #ucluelet #vancouverisland #events #communityevents
Jul 7
Join us & learn about the Pacific Herring - Tuesday, July 8th from 10am - 4pm on the Lighthouse Loop in the Discovery Tent! 🐟️
During spring every year the Pacific Herring find themselves along Ucluelet and Tofino coastlines, primarily due to abundant food sources and favourable environmental conditions. These little fish spawn along our coast and leave a pulse of energy and nutrients to our coastal ecosystem. Pacific Herring are a crucial food source for a wide range of predators and admired as a delicacy among Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ and Tla-o-qui-aht groups. The Nuu-chah-nulth translation for herring roe is k̓ʷaqmis.
Photo: (k̓ʷaqmis on cedar branches)
#raincoasteducationsociety #outdooreducation #raincoasteducation
#wildpacifictrail #discoverucluelet #learning #outdoored #experientallearning #naturebasedlearning #natureschool #tofino #ucluelet #vancouverisland #events #communityevents