[Coral-List] Coral bleaching observations in Kenya

[Sangeeta Mangubhai]

Dear All,

Following the Western South Indian Ocean Coral Bleaching Alert put out by
Gang
Liu at the NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program on the 25 March 2005, I wish to
report that there is currently a mild coral bleaching event occurring on
reefs adjacent to Mombasa, Kenya. My observations come from Kijembe Reef (a
lagoonal patch reef), just north of the coastal town of Mombasa. NOAA
satellite monitoring currently shows the accumulated thermal stress in the
waters around Kenya and Tanzania to be 3 DHW.

Pocillopora is the main group to be affected (P. eydouxi, P. verrucosa and
P. damicornis) with normal, pale and fully bleached colonies observed. Other
genera showing pale tissue include Porites, Platygyra, Echinopora, Galaxea,
Goniopora, Astreopora, Montipora and Hydnophora (one individual only).
Acropora species at the site are all normal, and have only been affected by
crown-of-thorns starfish which are present in elevated numbers at the site.
No colonies appeared to have died from bleaching to date.

There is a temperature logger at the site recording the temperature every
hour, so temperature data will be available at a later date. The SE monsoon
winds, high cloud cover and rains we have been experiencing should help to
reduce bleaching stress.

It would be good to hear if any of my colleagues in the region have
bleaching at their reefs.

Sincerely,

Sangeeta Mangubhai

____________________________
Sangeeta Mangubhai
P.O. Box 10135
Bamburi 80101
Mombasa
KENYA
Tel/Fax: +254 (41) 5486 473 (w)
Mobile: 0733 698 771
smangubhai at africaonline.co.ke