Loch Fyne’s Mediterranean look explained
A marine studies centre on Cumbrae has confirmed that the algal bloom which turned the Firth of Clyde and its sea lochs a vibrant turquoise colour in recent weeks was caused by the harmless plankton species Emiliania huxleyi (E.hux)
The now-dispersed algal bloom which affected the entire Firth of Clyde, extending into Loch Fyne, was suspected to be an E.hux or karenia variety but this was not confirmed until the Field Studies Council centre at Millport sent a sample to Aberdeen University.
Using an electron microscope, Marine Scotland researchers confirmed the microscopic sea algae as E.hux; a spherical-shaped species of coccolithophore which reflects sunlight just below the water’s surface.
Dr Peter Miller, an earth observation scientist and an expert on algal blooms, said in a social media post: ‘I can confirm that it was coccolithophore E.hux that turned Clyde turquoise; hardly any other phytoplankton there. Non-toxic, 10μm across.’
As predicted by Dr Miller, the bloom was harmless and did little more than change the colour of the sea.
Algal blooms are unusual on the west coast of Scotland; this one, scientists suspect, was brought in by water from the North Atlantic.
In addition to providing stunning vistas, coccolithophore blooms also play an important environmental role in helping to reduce the build up of greenhouse gases by absorbing carbon dioxide from the water.