[Coral-List] Bleaching in NMI

Alan E Strong Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
Tue Sep 30 09:55:12 EDT 2003


Hi John,

Those observation sounds correct...

NOAA's Degree Heating Week Charts showed no thermal stress accumulations until mid-late July...beginning in the north and expanding down the chain....

http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_retro.html

or.... if access is slow look at DHW chart for July 12:
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhwp.7.12.2003.gif

and then compare with August 12 [one month later]:
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhwp.8.12.2003.gif

16N -- your location...is about DHW = 3 in august and continues about that accumulation even now....its areas to the north that experienced much higher levels.

Cheers,
Al



John Naughton wrote:

> Peter:
>
> In July we conducted our annual multi-agency survey of the coral reef habitat surrounding Farallon de Medinilla (FDM) target island with the US Navy.  As you know FDM is in the Northern Marianas between Saipan and Anatahan.  Interestingly, we saw no indication of bleaching at that time.  Do you know how far south in the Mariana chain bleaching was observed by the folks on the Sette?
>
> Thanks,     John
>
> Peter Houk wrote:
>
> > Greetings All,
> >      The NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette just returned from the Northern Islands where bleaching was observed in coral community surveys.  The northern most islands had a higher percentage of bleaching (based on visual observations), however benthic video transects and coral community data were collected too, and not analyzed yet.  The coral community on many of the northern islands indicate that there may have been a previous disturbance(s) based upon skeletons covered with new reef growth.  Could this have been a result of the June/July 2001 thermal event that was noted in the Saipan Lagoon?  Any information is appreciated.
> >
> > All the Best,
> > Peter Houk
> >
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Alan E. Strong
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Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator
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