Diatoms of the Salish Sea
Diatoms are a major group of photosynthetic micro-algae living in marine and freshwater environments, which provide vast quantities of oxygen, food and nutrients for a wide range of organisms. The last regional diatom inventories were undertaken by Cupp (1943) for the West Coast of North America and Shim (1976) for the Georgia Strait, to the exclusion of many benthic and epiphytic species. This project aims to establish an updated taxonomic inventory of diatoms known to the Salish Sea, including detailed descriptions, discussions, observations and references. We apply light microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to determine species based on key taxonomic features. To extend this work, we are also exploring the application of third-generation molecular sequencing technology to barcode diatoms and promote community access to genomics research.
Status
Project Initiated September 2012
Current status: Ongoing
Partnerships
Mark Webber, Arjan van Asselt | IMERSS Labs
Elaine Humphrey | Advanced Microscopy Facility (UVic)
Alice Chang | UBC
Resources
Thank you to Hitachi High-Tech Canada Inc. for providing the Hitachi TM4000 Desktop Scanning Electron Microcope for work on this project in July 2020.
As this year’s fundraiser, IMERSS is putting on a Salish Sea Symposium on Swiikw (Galiano Island) October 5th with various activities starting October 4th to 6th. In part of this event, we are auctioning artwork donated by Mark Webber and other collaborators from the Salish Sea Diatoms: an Art and Science Exhibit. You have the opportunity to view the pieces in-person at the Galiano Inn from September 5th until October 8th. Auction ends October 8th at noon. Pieces are printed as art prints with archival ink and paper.
*Note* Images have been cropped for viewing on this online platform.
About the Artist
In the microscopic realm, where more than 99% of life on Earth thrives unseen, my scientific research and artistic exploration centers on diatoms, the most diverse group of marine and freshwater algae. These single-celled wonders, encased in glass-walled bodies, hold both tremendous scientific significance and aesthetic allure. Diatoms are richly complex in their structure, cell wall ornamentation, ecological interaction, life cycle and reproduction. Crucial to our planet’s ecological balance, diatoms contribute substantially to the food chain—from bacteria to shrimp, fish and whales—and generate 20-25% of our breathable oxygen. With the aid of powerful scanning electron microscopes (SEM) at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada, we can zoom in with extraordinary clarity and depth, from 30x to 100,000x magnification. These intricate features are crucial to species identification, but on occasion yield stunning visual artistic treasures. By preserving diatoms whole, as they would be in environmental surroundings with bacteria and fungi, we can study microscopic community organization and reveal hidden worlds of unseen natural design and beauty.
Researcher, Buddhist Lama, and artist, I collaborate with investigators at the University of Victoria, the University of British Columbia, and the Hakai Institute. As a member of the Institute for Multidisciplinary Ecological Research in the Salish Sea based on Galiano Island, and an Affiliate of UVIC, my collaborations focus on marine ecological studies by working towards the first comprehensive diatom inventory of the Salish Sea on the West Coast of Canada. Through diatom identifications, images, and research notes, I invite others to share in the marvel of these unseen wonders: Mark Webber’s iNaturalist Observations.
Mark Webber