Fwd: Re: Bleaching in Bermuda

[Ingrid Guch]

Greetings,
I work with Al Strong's team to maintain the NOAA HotSpot & related web
sites. I thought I'd put in a few words about what we are seeing with Bermuda
looking at our satellite SST & related data...

NOAA's experimental satellite-derived tropical ocean coral bleaching
indices show Bermuda has experienced a bit more than 5 degree heating
weeks, in this case indicating about 5 weeks of SSTs 1 degree warmer than
the expected summertime maximum temperature.  In September 1998 Bermuda
got up to 11 degree heating weeks, but I don't remember receiving reports of 
significant bleaching.

NOAA's main site (24 global reefs, includes Bermuda) is at 
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_news.html

NOAA's additional site (made up of sites which have been specifically
requested, includes Florida Keys and many others) is at 
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_coop.html

Both sites are updated on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Some recent updates to the website-
You can now click on the lat-lon of each site and see the ReefBase map,
along with links to the appropriate HotSpot chart (regions where SSTs are
at least 1 degree above the expected summertime maximum temperature),
degree heating weeks chart (accumulations of HotSpots), satellite-derived
ocean surface winds and the day/night average SST chart.  We hope to
improve the resolution of the available imagery as resources and funding
permit.  The current resolution is 50km for HotSpots and degree heating
weeks.  If you have comments, suggestions for additional reef sites or
links to add, please contact us by using the feedback link on the web site.

finally, retrospective dhw images from 1998 & most of 1999 are at
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/icg/hdweeks1_black.html

I hope you find this information useful.

regards,
Ingrid.

>At 12:07 PM 8/17/00 , robbie at bbsr.edu wrote:
>>Dear Listers,
>>I just wanted to inform everyone that we are seeing signs of bleaching in
>>the Northern outer reef zones from 5 to 20 m depth. Millepora alcicornis,
>>Montastraea franksii and Meandrina meandrites are the species most affected
>>so far, generally pale or patchily bleached. I estimate that about 20 % of
>>the colonies of each species at the site visited to date are showing signs
>>of bleaching. SSTs have been around 29 oC since late July.
>>Cheers,
>>Robbie
>>
>>
>>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>
>>Struan Robertson Smith, Ph.D.
>>
>>Assistant Research Scientist
>>Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Inc.
>>Ferry Reach GE01 Bermuda
>>
>>Tel: 441 297 1880 ext. 240
>>Fax: 441 297 8143
>> 
>



Ingrid C. Guch 
NOAA/NESDIS 

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phone: 301-457-0913 ext 140
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