Pond is blooming pink

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A plankton bloom in Seymour’s Pond, a nature reserve in Southampton, has turned the water a cotton candy pink colour.

David Wingate, a founding member of the Bermuda Audubon Society, said this is the first time he has witnessed this type of bloom in Seymour’s Pond.

“It seems to only affect ponds that are relatively fresh, but Seymour’s Pond has become quite brackish,” Dr Wingate said.

“We haven’t measured the salinity but it must have reverted to a fresher state. This particular bloom seems to have been triggered by the heavy rains in June.”

Dr Wingate said he first noticed the bloom starting in mid-July, and expects it to go on for about another month.

Although this is the first time the bloom has occurred at Seymour’s Pond, a man-made freshwater pond at Spittal Pond experiences a similar bloom annually. Dr Wingate said he is basing his estimates for Seymour’s Pond on how long the man-made pond’s bloom typically lasts.

The plankton that is causing the bloom is part of the dinoflagellate group of organisms. The high concentration of these microscopic organisms in the water is giving the pond its pink hue.

“Some species of dinoflagellate cause red tides which are poisonous to fish and other animals, but this is not the case, so the fish are OK in the pond,” Dr Wingate said.

“It’s a sign of a very rich pond community with lots of nutrients.”

Last summer Seymour’s Pond underwent a restoration project conducted by the Bermuda Audubon Society. The restoration extended the pond’s eastern end and deepened it, doubling its overall size.

“The project of excavating the addition to the pond has changed the character of the pond somewhat which has allowed the plankton bloom,” Dr Wingate said.

“Prior to the restoration the pond was closing in. Otherwise the pond would have almost disappeared, due to the closing in of vegetation and peat.”

The three-acre area is a haven for migratory birds stopping in Bermuda. Viewing areas were added during last summer’s renovation so that visitors could observe the wildlife and vegetation without disturbing the natural habitat.

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