California Imaging FlowCytobot Network (CA IFCB Network)

The California Imaging FlowCytobot Network (CA IFCB Network) is a statewide network of automated in situ phytoplankton measurements in order to implement an automated early warning system for the detection and identification of a suite of potential Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) to enable rapid response and better decision-making. The CA IFCB Network heavily leverages infrastructure from several federally funded programs, notably the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS) and the Central and Northern California Observing System (CeNCOOS).

The CA IFCB Network is comprised of 12 state-of-the-art Imaging FlowCytobots (IFCBs) developed by McLane Research Laboratories Inc. The Imaging FlowCytobot (IFCB) is an automated submersible imaging flow cytometer that combines flow cytometry and video technology to image particles in the aquatic ecosystem (Olson & Sosik 2007) . The instrument analyzes a 5 mL water sample in 20 minutes, and images of cells in each sample are collected. Machine learning algorithms are then applied to classify the species present. The camera's resolution enables detection of particles as small as 5 µm and as large as 150 µm, though confident taxonomic identification is typically feasible for cells larger than 10-20 µm.

This project is overseen by the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Website: https://sccoos.org/ifcb/