Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumShades of a Canfield Ocean — Hydrogen Sulfide in Oregon’s Purple Waves?
(Purple waves wash over the Oregon beach of Neskowin on August 15. A form of hydrogen sulfide consuming bacteria is known to color water purple. Is this an indicator that the deadly gas is present in Oregons waters? Image source: Jeanine Sbisa and Beach Connection.)
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The purple sulfur reducing bacteria, though not dangerous themselves, live in a kind of conjoined relationship with the much more deadly hydrogen sulfide producing bacteria. The purple, is therefore, a tell-tale of the more deadly bacterias presence. And hydrogen sulfide producing bacteria may well be the most dangerous organism ever to have existed on the planet largely responsible for almost all the great extinction events in Earths deep history. For hydrogen sulfide itself is directly toxic to both land and ocean-based life. Its deadly effects are increased at higher temperatures. And not only is it directly toxic in both water and air, if it enters the upper atmosphere it also destroys the ozone layer.
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hollysmom
(5,946 posts)justaddh2o
(69 posts)<snip>
According Dr. Caren Braby of the Newport office of Oregon Department and Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), it is a jellyfish-like creature called a salp.
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The how and why is the interesting twist that could involve the infamous "blob," an area of warmer water in the Pacific Ocean that scientists believe is contributing to the current drought patterns of the West.
"This may be an unusual sight for us because of two or more possible (hypothetical) reasons: 1) they may be blooming significantly this year due to unusual ocean conditions, or 2) they are usually out there but this year they are onshore due to the suppressed upwelling (the 'blob') pressed up alongshore."
Tiffany Boothe of Seaside Aquarium photographed the salps today - Friday - as well.
"The purple color is due to the mass concentration of them washing in," Boothe said.
link: http://www.beachconnection.net/news/salppurp082815_725.php
freshwest
(53,661 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,361 posts)Salps are classed in Thaliacea, which are tunicates, which are in turn olfactores, a group which also includes all vertebrates. Salps have a dorsal nerve cord, but no backbone.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaliacea#References
These have no sting, for instance.
sue4e3
(731 posts)My post was a little more on the funny sarcastic side. I wasn't really paying attention, now I know they are interesting
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)sue4e3
(731 posts)I was thinking groggily the End of the World. Shit I didn't even have my coffee yet, Then I thought wait , wait , go back read every thing . O Good jelly fish , not little anaerobic microbes out to kill us . It's gonna be a long Day