[Coral-List] Xetospongia muta

Szmant, Alina szmanta at uncw.edu
Tue Apr 29 12:09:56 EDT 2008


I saw similar damage to all kinds of sponges, including X. muta after
Hurricane Andrew went through S. FL in 1992.  There were large sponges
and gorgonians rolling all over the base of the reef (60+ feet deep)
along the reef tract offshore of Biscayne National Park.  The waters
were only rough for < 24 hrs with Hurr. Andrew.  I do not know the
details of the recent storm off the N coast of PR.  

*******************************************************************
Dr. Alina M. Szmant
Coral Reef Research Group
UNCW-Center for Marine Science 
5600 Marvin K. Moss Ln
Wilmington NC 28409
Tel: (910)962-2362 & Fax:  (910)962-2410
Cell:  (910)200-3913
email:  szmanta at uncw.edu
Web Page:  http://people.uncw.edu/szmanta
******************************************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Barbara
Kojis
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 9:12 AM
To: glauco150 at aol.com; coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Xetospongia muta

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
_______________________________________________
Coral-List mailing list
Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list



More information about the Coral-List mailing list