[Coral-List] Xetospongia muta

[Barbara Kojis]

Dear listers and Mr. Rivera:
 
It is very likely that the damage you saw to X. muta was caused by the huge swells generated by the "perfect" storm in the North Atlantic in March.  Fishers on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, with traps on the north shelf in water as deep as 120 feet found that their traps were moved and damaged.  In some cases traps in deepwater had rope and traps entangled in balls.  The north shelf on St. Thomas is largely sand with sparse macroalgae (very different from the shelf south of St. Thomas) and this is probably a function of the regular bottom disturbance at depth from winter storms.  
Regards,
 
Dr. Barbara Kojis St. Thomas, USVI 00803 

> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:04:06 -0400> From: glauco150 at aol.com> Subject: [Coral-List] Xetospongia muta> > Dear listers:> > During a recent dive?(75-80 ft deep) in the north coast of Puerto Rico I found out?numerous Xetospongia muta totally or partially broken.??Some sponges broke flush to the substrate, others broke in different angle when compared to the next standing; there was not a clear break pattern.??On March 20-22, Puerto Rico and the USVI coasts received the impact of a powerful cold front?which produced 30-plus feet breaking waves causing significant coastal erosion.? Could it be possble that soft or weak areas of large high profile?X. muta did not resisted?such continuous?high energy swell/surge?> > I will appreciate any comments or references.> > best regards,> > Glauco A Rivera> PhD candidate> Univ. of PR-Dept. of Marine Sciences> _______________________________________________> Coral-List mailing list> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
_________________________________________________________________
News, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Get it now!
http://www.live.com/getstarted.aspx