Bleaching Event: OKINAWA

[John naughton]

Alan:

Just returned from underwater surveys of the reefs surrounding Farallon
de Medinilla (FDM) target island (16 01'N, 146 04'E) in the Northern
Mariana Islands, with other biologists and Navy EOD divers.  Possible
indications of a bleaching event beginning. East side FDM corals
(Pocillopora meandrina and P. eydouxi) bleaching on tops of colonies in
relatively shallow, inshore zone (2m. to 10m. depth).  Water temp
recorded on scuba console gauge at 85 to 87 F.

Aloha,        John

John Naughton
NMFS, Honolulu


Alan E Strong wrote:

> Bleaching news from Okinawa...
>
> "....the water is around 30.0 to 30.5 oC at the moment. Some corals,
> that is what's left on the reefs, are showing signs of heat stress
> (for example the tops of many Porites lobata are paling) others are
> OK....
> Note, that it is warmer now than the same period in 1998, even down to
> 60m. What's also interesting is that the expected negative low tides
> are 30 cm higher than expected..." [Rob van Woesik]
>
> AES
> --
> **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *******
> Alan E. Strong
> Phys Scientist/Oceanographer
>   NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3
>   NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W
>   5200 Auth Road
>   Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304
>         Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
>              301-763-8102 x170
>       FAX: 301-763-8108
>   http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad
>
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