November PI Spotlight: Dr. Alexis Pasulka

Dr. Alexis (Ally) Pasulka

Associate Professor | Biological Sciences
California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) State University, San Luis Obispo 
apasulka@calpoly.edu

Ocean Observing Tools: Shore Stations, CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth), Plankton Tows, Temporal Sampling

“One of the things that excites me about involving undergraduate students in our Harmful Algal Bloom research is showing them how science directly impacts our communities.”

         SCCOOS PI Dr. Ally Pasulka’s journey into ocean science began with a fascination for the microscopic world teeming beneath the waves. As a faculty member at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, she blends her passion for marine microbial research with a commitment to inspire the next generation of marine scientists. Dr. Pasulka’s partnership with SCCOOS and the California Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Alert Program (HABMAP) has allowed her lab to contribute to critical environmental monitoring while providing invaluable hands-on experience for students. 

Images: Cal Poly Pier; Madeleine Kwon lowering the plankton net into the water off the Cal Poly Pier; Sydney Yium conducting the qualitative count of phytoplankton in the pier classroom. (Photos courtesy of the Pasulka Lab)

          The California HABMAP program is a partnership between SCCOOS and the Central and Northern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) that collects weekly phytoplankton and water quality data at nine locations along the California coast. These data provide information to help detect and predict Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). HABs occur when certain types of plankton (i.e., Pseudo-nitzschia) grow in the ocean and produce toxins, such as Domoic Acid. Domoic acid is a neurotoxin that can damage living marine resources, harm animals and ecosystem health, and in rare cases, cause life-threatening illness in humans.
          Domoic acid is responsible for frequent large-scale marine mammal and seabird mortalities along California’s coasts due to its accumulation in prey fish (like sardines and anchovies), particularly affecting California sea lions. When marine mammals are exposed, they present with neurological symptoms (lethargy, disorientation, seizures, etc.) and typically die without treatment or have to be euthanized due to severe neurological damage. In some cases, they are able to be successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild. 

Images: A marine mammal patient receives veterinary care at The Marine Mammal Center (Photo by Bill Hunnewell © The Marine Mammal Center); Rehabilitated sea lions being released. (Photo © The Marine Mammal Center)

          The Marine Mammal Center, a non-profit ocean conservation organization, has rescued more than 26,000 marine mammals along the California coast and the Big Island of Hawai'i during its 50-year history. During Summer of 2024 and continuing into the Fall, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties have seen hundreds of marine mammals admitted to rescue centers with domoic acid poisoning. 
          The work of SCCOOS and Dr. Pasulka is vital in helping animal rescue organizations like The Marine Mammal Center understand and respond to threats like domoic acid poisoning. Dr. Dominic Travis, Chief Programs Officer at The Marine Mammal Center, shares, “SCCOOS data products like the HABMAP dashboard and the CA HAB Bulletin are invaluable tools, providing our response, clinical, and pathology teams with critical information. The resources help us better evaluate if stranded marine mammals are affected by domoic acid intoxication, enabling us to administer the best possible care and treatment for these animals.”

Images: The California-Harmful Algae Risk Mapping (C-HARM) system; Shellfish harvesting advisories posted on California beaches during a HAB (Photo courtesy of the County of Ventura Public Information Office).

          In addition to affecting marine mammals, HABs can also make certain types of seafood unsafe for humans to eat. To help our communities remain safe, SCCOOS provides HAB prediction data to public health officials that allow them to make decisions about seafood advisories. The California-Harmful Algae Risk Mapping (C-HARM) system, co-developed by SCCOOS Director Dr. Clarissa Anderson, uses circulation models, oceanic conditions, and satellite remote-sensing data to generate predictions of potential HABs. These predictions, in conjunction with regular sampling activities by the California Department of Public Health, recently led the State to issue two sets of advisories against consuming Dungeness Crab in parts of Northern California due to the risk of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning from domoic acid.

Images: Alexis Pasulka teaches a Cal Poly student chlorophyll a filtration. Alexis Pasulka showing data from the shore station while teaching in the pier classroom. (Photos courtesy of the Pasulka Lab and Cal Poly)

          Dr. Pasulka explains, “When students collect samples from the Cal Poly Pier and analyze them in the lab, they're not just learning techniques – they're contributing to monitoring efforts that inform decision-making. It's inspiring to see their eyes light up when they realize their work could help warn beachgoers about potential risks or aid in safeguarding local fisheries.” And these data are indeed instrumental to the coastal management community, helping us understand both current coastal conditions and forecast future risks. Dr. Dominic Travis, Chief Programs Officer at The Marine Mammal Center explains, “Simply put, models need data and responders need predictions. The early [HAB] indicators we received from SCCOOS [...] highlights the important value and synergy of our combined work.”

For more information about HAB monitoring, see the CA HAB Bulletin and subscribe to the CA HAB Bulletin listserv. Also check out Dr. Pasulka's Lab website, the CA HABMAP website, the California IFCB Network, CDPH Domoic Acid FAQ, the CalPoly Pier monitoring site, access the raw data, or view longer-term data. 

Keep an eye out for next month's SCCOOS Spotlight to learn about another of our PIs and community stakeholders!