Bright green goop in a warm spring

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adamschneider
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Bright green goop in a warm spring

Post by adamschneider » February 2nd, 2021, 9:20 pm

I was going through some old photos and found this. It's some kind of bright green slime growing in a geothermally warmed stream in Lassen Volcanic National Park, along the PCT near Drakesbad Meadow.

I want to call it "algae," but it occurs to me that this might be a plant, or it might be some sort of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) — which is in a completely different kingdom!

Anyone know their slime?

green slime.jpg
petal in green slime.jpg
(monkeyflower petal for scale)
slimy closeup.jpg
(closeup of the slime)

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Chip Down
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Re: Bright green goop in a warm spring

Post by Chip Down » February 4th, 2021, 6:56 pm

On St Helens, I've seen warm creeks hosting the same sort of thing in vivid colors: red, yellow, orange, and of course green.

I agree with your topic title: bright green goop. Only pedants and geeks need inquire further. :geek:

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bobcat
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Re: Bright green goop in a warm spring

Post by bobcat » February 5th, 2021, 11:23 am

It's a cyanobacterium. The components resemble something from the genus Nostoc (mare's eggs). You can see good examples in Clackamas Lake (near Timothy Lake). It's actually quite an interesting and ancient life form, especially to pedants and geeks.

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Chip Down
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Re: Bright green goop in a warm spring

Post by Chip Down » February 5th, 2021, 8:21 pm

I still need to pick up one of those PocketBobcat® devices.

Webfoot
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Re: Bright green goop in a warm spring

Post by Webfoot » February 7th, 2021, 11:50 am

Chip Down wrote:
February 5th, 2021, 8:21 pm
I still need to pick up one of those PocketBobcat® devices.
You may not have thought this through.

https://xkcd.com/325/

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Chip Down
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Re: Bright green goop in a warm spring

Post by Chip Down » February 8th, 2021, 5:27 am

XKCD went woke, how charming. :geek:

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