[Coral-List] [Fwd: re: Flower Garden Banks NMS hurricane impacts and bleaching event]

Emma Hickerson Emma.Hickerson at noaa.gov
Wed Oct 19 13:36:30 EDT 2005



The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary research team 
conducted a post-hurricane cruise to the Sanctuary last week.  This was 
the first opportunity for the team to survey the reef since both 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Limited surveys revealed significant 
mechanical impacts at all three sites within the Sanctuary, including 
large boulders of reef rock and coral (up to 4m x2m in size) removed and 
tossed around the reef and into the sand flats, and at up to 1m of sand 
removed from the sand flats.  Large barrel sponges (Xestospongia muta) 
have suffered considerable damage, including partial and full removal, 
or filling up with sand. Coral tissue, sediment, and water samples were 
collected for contaminant analysis through a collaboration between the 
FGBNMS, NCCOS, and the University of Hawaii.  These collections were 
made in response to a large body of polluted water that made its way out 
from the TX/LA coast to the FGBNMS after Hurricane Rita (see 
http://coastwatch.noaa.gov/tsm/search.html).  To add insult to injury,  
the coral is undergoing a bleaching event - initial observations 
indicate between 35% and 40% of the colonies are bleached partially or 
fully.  The bleaching appears to be affecting 100% of the fire coral 
(Millepora alcicornis) and great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa), and 
affecting at least eleven other species to varying degrees.  
Temperatures on the reef last week were 29.0 - 29.2 degrees C throughout 
the water column.  This appears to be 2-3 degrees C higher than 
historical means.  A follow-up cruise is underway this week on board the 
Sanctuary vessel, R/V PT. GLASS,  to conduct additional bleaching 
surveys and document hurricane damage within the Sanctuary. 

Emma Hickerson
G.P. Schmahl

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Emma L. Hickerson
Research Coordinator
emma.hickerson at noaa.gov

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
1200 Briarcrest Drive, Ste. 4000
Bryan, TX  77802
PH:  979-846-5942, ext. 111
FAX:  979-846-5959
flowergarden.noaa.gov
sanctuaries.noaa.gov


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-- 

`````````````````````````````````````````````````
Emma L. Hickerson
Research Coordinator
emma.hickerson at noaa.gov

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
1200 Briarcrest Drive, Ste. 4000
Bryan, TX  77802
PH:  979-846-5942, ext. 111
FAX:  979-846-5959
flowergarden.noaa.gov
sanctuaries.noaa.gov


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