Bleaching - GofMex & Keys?

[Alina Szmant]

Water temperatures inshore in the upper Florida Keys have been over 32 oC
while on the offshore reefs they've been ca. 30.5 oC.  There is severe
bleaching (white as a sheet) on the inshore patch reefs (The Rocks ca. 90 %
bleached except for Siderastrea, Hens and Chickens ca. 50 %), while the
offshore reefs have very little or no bleaching.   Bleaching of the inshore
corals began in mid-June and I expect some of these to die.



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Dr. Alina M. Szmant
Coral Reef Research Group
RSMAS-MBF
University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy.
Miami FL 33149

TEL: (305)361-4609
FAX: (305)361-4600 or 361-4005
E-mail:  ASZMANT at RSMAS.MIAMI.EDU
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