[Coral-List] Severe Bleaching in Northern Persian Gulf

oli taylor taylor_ojs at yahoo.com
Sun Sep 2 02:12:06 EDT 2007


I have just completed baseline surveys in Qatar, Fujairah and Musandum for a number of projects:

In Qatar nr Al Wakra (31st July-4th of August) water temperatures ranged from 34-36 C at depths of 4-11m. Unfortunately no live coral was recorded in the wider area. All that remains is a long dead Porites reef and Acropora rubble. Most of the mortality was probably associated with the 1997/98 bleaching event.

In Fujairah (16th - 20th August) fluorescing favids, favites and platygyra were evident in depths of 4-6m in shallow coastal areas south of Khawr Fakkan. Water temperatures ranged from 31-32C - high for the Gulf of Oman. No fully bleached colonies were recorded at the time of the surveys.

Following Cyclone Gonu inJune 2007 (which has caused considerable damage and a reduction in total coral coverage in many coastal and island reef areas in the Gulf of Oman) the total coverage of Acropora has been largely reduced and the effects of a bleaching event now could have serious implications for recovery rates. Planned fund raising and subsequent surveys here in the Sultanate of Oman will hopefully quantify the full impact of the cyclone in northern Oman over the coming months.

In Musandum (within the Arabian Gulf-31st August) just outside Khasab water temperatures of 33 C were recorded in the shallow marine environment (3-5m) in an extensive area of Acropora and other mixed hard corals. No fluorescing was observed at the time of the survey and no fully bleached colonies were recorded.

Kind regards,
 
Oli Taylor
Marine Ecologist and Environmental Manager
Five Oceans Environmental Services LLC
PO Box 660
Postal Code 131
Muscat
Oman

www.fiveoceansenvironmental.com
Email: Oli.Taylor at fiveoceansenvironmental.com
 
Office Tel/Fax: (968) 24696918  
Mobile: (968) 95231397

----- Original Message ----
From: Alan E. Strong <Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov>
To: kaveh samimi <kaveh_s_n at yahoo.com>
Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 10:02:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Severe Bleaching in Northern Persian Gulf

Hello Kaveh,

Unfortunately thermal stress (DHWs) has been extremely high over most of 
the Gulf this year.  Visit:

http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/CB_indices/oman0dhw.htm

Closest to your site we show DHW = 6 at this time as SSTs appear to be 
spiking once again this week.

Regards,
Al Strong

-- 
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* 
Alan E. Strong, Ph.D.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch, Senior Consultant
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
  e-mail: Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
url: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov




kaveh samimi wrote:
> Dear all,
>    
>   Unfortunately during recent two weeks severe bleaching happens in Kish Island in northern part of the Persian Gulf. Almost all the reefs is bleached completely. Yesterday water temperature was 36 degree with 37 ppt salinity .
>    
>   I wonder that somebody saw the same situation in southern parts ?
>    
>    
>   Cheers,
>    
>
>
> Kaveh Samimi
> Department of Marine Biology
> Khoramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology
> P.o.box: 669
> Khoramshahr, Khuzestan Province
> Iran,64199-43157
>        
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-- 
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* 
Alan E. Strong, Ph.D.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch, Senior Consultant
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
  e-mail: Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
url: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

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