Title: Mount Desert Island Water Quality Monitoring
Description:
Abstract:
MDIWQC monitors the water around Mount Desert Island for the Maine
Shore Stewards program. When we monitor for phytoplankton we are trying to
detect 4 toxic types of organisms: Alexandrium, Prorocentrum, Pseudonitzchia,
and Dinophysis. These species of phytoplankton are the kind that cause some of
our red tides and when they are filtered through shell fish and consumed by
humans, they cause paralytic, diuretic, or amnesic shell fish poisoning. Each
are serious conditions that people could die from if they could not get
immediate help after consumption.
Sponsor: Mount Desert Island Water Quality Coalition
Maine Shore Stewards Program, Maine State Planning Office
