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<P>Dear colleagues, these are my most recent observations on bleaching here in
south west Puerto Rico after surveying 8 reef localities including one 5 miles
offshore on the edge of the platform. </P>
<P>With the exception of <I>M. alcicornis, </I>very few (less than 3 %) colonies
of all the different species have bleaching symptoms in all these reef
localities. Thus so far, the event is just starting or is very mild. Couple of
things this year vary from last year: </P>
<P></P>
<P>1- Some species that rarely or never bleach or bleach late were the first
ones to show bleaching signs this year (i.e.<I> S. cubensis, </I><I>E.
fastigiata, M. cavernosa, M. memorialis, L. cucullata</I>.). Other species
showing bleaching signs include:<I> P.astreoides, M.faveolata, S. intersepta,
P.porites, P.furcata, C. natans, A. humilis, A. purpurea, D. labyrinthiformis,
M. alcicornis, M.complanata, M. squarrosa, M. franksi and</I> <I>Palythoa
caribbaeorum</I>. Last year and in 1996, after hurricane Hortense,<I>
Palythoa</I> was the first one to pale out and bleach followed by
<I>P.astreoides,</I> <I>P. porites, S. intersepta</I>, <I>C. natans, M. franksi
and M. faveolata</I>. </P>
<P>2- There was a period of warm water back in May-June where water temperatures
rose above 29 ºC, and stayed there for over two weeks from the surface down
to 15 m. Temperatures went down around (below 29 degrees) around June 15 and
started to climb up again by the end of July. Temp. reached the maximum
registered in June by August 15. Water temperatures are now above that maximum.
No bleaching was observed between June and September. This data was collected
with StowAway temp loggers. </P>
<P>3. We have not been hit by a hurricane yet.</P>
<P><FONT size=2>Saludos, EW.</FONT></P>
<P> </P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Dr. Ernesto Weil<BR>Depart. of Marine Sciences,
UPR<BR>PO BOX 908 Lajas PR 00667<BR>Ph. (787) 899-2048 x. 241<BR>FAX (787)
899-2630/899-5500.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>