Phosphorescence in fresh water?

[Boneman]

Many decades ago, when my wife worked for an airline and we got cheap tickets, we visited friends in Antigua, and one evening on a beach, discovered phosphorescence by stamping in the sand. Cue hilarity (alcohol was involved) as we danced and generally kicked up a radiant storm. I've checked Wiki and other sites, but can't find whether this phenomenon occurs in fresh water, or salt water only. Can anyone help me out here? If I put it in an inland lake, would it even cross your mind it's wrong? (If it is...)

Many thanks.

 

[Kylara]

Happens in the Maldives too! Pretty sure it is bioluminescent dinoflagellates or they are hosted on algal blooms but will have to double check. Think there is a lagoon in Jamaica where it happens too - mix of salt and fresh and a tree I think make it good for the dinoflag - if you touch it it glows. Algae bloom ones are a little different though - they host the dinoflag. Pretty much it is a defense mechanism - the more they are disturbed, the brighter the glow. I think it is only marine - so salt, unless you have lots of B12 (hence the lagoon works because of the trees - mangroves I think) which the dinoflages thrive on

There are also bioluming phytoplankton and squid.

You can actually see the same effect in Norfolk after warm days on the beach

So no, I wouldn't think twice if you had it around an island, as long as there were a few mangrove trees or a little salt

 

[Sapheron]

From what little micropalaeontology I did at university, I seem to rememeber that it could happen in fresh water as well, it's just there are far fewer things that do it and they have smaller concentrations of individuals so it doesn't tend to be as noticeable. It definitely happens in the Caspian Sea, which is, technically, a lake, so I can call on that to support my claims (even if it is more like the ocean than any other lake).

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Many algae display bioluminescence, and they are ubiquitous throughout both the oceans and fresh waters. So no worries.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

It's very possible, just not as common.
Of course if alien world or fantasy world it can be as alien as you like and could be small insects (adult or larva), algae, bacteria, fungus, plankton, protozoa of some kind (possibly non-parisitic types), a fresh water jellyfish (though I only know of salt water types).

 

[Boneman]

Brilliant, thanks all!

 

[J Riff]

Mr. Attenborough did a great show on the deep ocean, where most of the biomass on Earth is located. Fabulous.

 

[Mirannan]

It's very possible, just not as common.
Of course if alien world or fantasy world it can be as alien as you like and could be small insects (adult or larva), algae, bacteria, fungus, plankton, protozoa of some kind (possibly non-parisitic types), a fresh water jellyfish (though I only know of salt water types).

Insects, particularly. I'm thinking, perhaps, of something like water boatmen with the same luminescent glands as fireflies.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Oh that would be pretty.
Add then someone slightly magical or suitable sprinkle of food and you might have lovely synchronised patterns on a little pond. Frighteningly I think can really do it if you can afford it. They have made various plants and animals glow by adding jellyfish jeans.

 

[Sapheron]

Must be really fiddly to make clothing so small...

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Oops
genes
Radiation fades them

 

[Mirannan]

I just thought of a name for the phosphorescent water boatmen. Glowstriders?

Pity I have no clue about how I might use that snippet...

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Glowstriders in Skye

 

[Boneman]

Thanks... now I can't get the song out of my head!!

 

[Ray McCarthy]

The Blues Brothers

 

[Boneman]

Ah... I'm going for The Doors version...

 

[Ray McCarthy]

But I like both kinds of Music.