Bleaching in PR.

Ernesto Weil eweil at caribe.net
Wed Sep 22 15:15:36 EDT 1999


I observed the first pale colonies of D.labyrinthiformis, Porites and Montastraea last week. This week, minor bleaching was observed at Turrumote, Pinnacles and Media Luna reefs of La Parguera. Several colonies of M.franksi, M.cavernosa, M.faveolata, M. annularis, P.astreoides, P.porites, C. natans, S.siderea, M.memorialis, M.meandrites, S.intersepta and all three Milleporids (alcicornis, squarrosa and complanata) showed bleached areas. I also observed for the first time, completely bleached  Scolymia cubensis. Water temperatures are warm but not excesively warm (29 degrees). 

Bleaching started at about the same time as last year. Last year few  colonies of different species were starting to show signs of bleaching about two weeks before Hurricane George's hit us. After the hurricane, bleaching was intense and widespread.   

Cheers, 

Dr. Ernesto Weil
Depart. of Marine Sciences, UPR
PO BOX 908 Lajas PR 00667
Ph. (787) 899-2048 x. 241
FAX (787) 899-2630/899-5500.
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