Didymosphenia geminata (rock snot) is present

year-around in the Lower Mountain Fork.

Nina Desianti, Joshua T. Cooper, Jared Vanderpool and Elizabeth A. Bergey
Oklahoma Biological Survey, 111 Chesapeake Street, Norman Oklahoma 73019

Diatom sample collection and counting

What is Didymo? What are the We tried two collection methods. First, we collected a few small stones
and removed algae in the lab. Second (after finding few didymo), we
consequences scrubbed several rocks with a toothbrush and processed these samples in
of a bloom? the lab.
Counting
Processed diatom material (the glass cell walls) was placed in a counting
Trout feeding may be affected chamber and didymo counted under the microscope at 100x magnification.

Didymosphenia geminata or
Didymo is a freshwater diatom Comparing Didymo sampling
(microscopic algae) that can methods
form massive colonies known as “rock snot”. Didymo grows on stalks. Although selecting a few small stones was
When cells divide, the stalks are formed anew but connected to the old Stream easier to do, didymo was often missed;
stalk. Thus the stalk material continues to build up. scrubbing several larger stones showed
communities much higher numbers of didymo. This
became our preferred survey method.
Where is Didymo? Large aquatic
Predicted distribution insects decrease Algae

The potential Didymo distribution predicted in 2009

indicated that Didymo would likely not invade
Didymo population in Mountain Forks
Oklahoma – especially not SE Oklahoma!
(Kumar et al. 2009)
High number of cells,
forming “rock snot”

Low number of cells;

Small worms and fly larvae
colonies were not
(midges) increase
visible, but there is
the potential for
A “Rock Snot” bloom on the bottom of rocky river beds affects aquatic life such blooms, given the
as macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects), native algae and fish. right conditions
Didymo coats rocks, which takes away the habitat and food of many large insects
Stream monitoring. A bloom of didymo (“rock snot”) was reported in that are eaten by adult trout. Small worms and fly larvae (midges) may become
the Mountain Fork below Broken Bow Reservoir in April 2009. very abundant because they can live within the didymo mats.
(Bergey et al. 2009)
Most Didymo cells were living. A single cell
We sampled algae on rocks above and below the Evening Hole Bridge can be moved to a new site and start new
Stalks
approximately every three weeks from June 2009 to March 2010. colonies.
Nutrients (Phosporus) travels to cells
through stalks
(Ellwood and Whitten 2007)
SUMMARY
Didymo is persisting in the lower Mountain Fork. Didymo monitoring in
Mountain Fork and surveys in other Oklahoma trout streams are needed
to help develop management strategies for this invasive species.

Evening Hole Literature Cited

Bridge Bergey, E.A., Cooper , J.T. and Curtis R. Tackett. 2009. Occurrence of the invasive diatom
Didymosphenia geminata in Southeast Oklahoma.
Kumar, S., Spaulding, S.A., Stohlgren, T., Hermann, K., Schmidt, T. and Bahls, L. 2009. Modelling
the bioclimatic profile of the diatom Didymosphenia geminata. Frontiers in Ecology and the

The stalks provide additional Environment 8: 415-420

Ellwood, N.T.W. and B.A. Whitton. 2007. Importance of organic phosphate hydrolyzed in stalks of
substrate for other diatoms the lotic diatom Didymosphenia geminata and the possible impact of atmospheric and climatic
changes

Acknowledgements
Curtis R. Tackett, Paul Balkenbush, Jay Barfield
David Bigelow
NSF grant DEB-0447449 to EAB

Spaulding et al. 2007