[Coral-List] Cold Water Bleaching

[James Cervino PhD.]

Dear Al and coral physios-

Lets not forget this helpful paper :

Muscatine, L., Grossman, D. and Doino, J. (1991). Release of symbiotic algae by
tropical sea anemones and corals after cold shock. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 77,
233–243.

When I worked with Len during 1996 we compared thermal stress vs cold shock. We
showed that recovery was MUCH quicker with cold water expulsion compared to
thermal stress. Many factors such as ROS poisoning, Apoptosis and expulsion are
part of the cell death mechanisms that are seen during thermal stress, which
were not in cold water stress (not sure about apoptosis though).

To date thermal stress is the most lethal threat tropical corals are facing in a
global warming world.

James


*************************************
Dr. James M. Cervino
Visiting Scientist
Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst.
Department of Marine Chemistry
Woods Hole MA.
NYC Address: 9-22 119st
College Point NY NY 11356
Cell: 917-620*5287
************************************


Quoting Alan E Strong <Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov>:

* As many of you reading this list may have seen by now....there appears to
* have been an extended period of cold water bleaching in the southernmost
* region of the Gulf of California this past winter [late].
*
* Several regions around the globe continue to have some rather strong
* anomalously cold SSTs [note entire western North American continent, GBR,
* Indian Ocean, etc.:
*
* http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data/anomnight.5.15.2008.gif
*
* It was the early March conditions that appear to have been primarily
* responsible for the Gulf of California cold water bleaching event:
*
* http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data/anomnight.3.6.2008.gif
*
* We are wondering if other coral-listers may have witnessed cold water
* bleaching in their regions during the past year or two....and if they did,
* how was the coral's recovery from this event.
*
* Thanks,
* Al
*
* --
* **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *******
* 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
*
* E/RA31, SSMC1, Room 5305
* 1335 East West Hwy
* Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226
* 301-713-2857 x108               Fax: 301-713-3136
* Cell: 410-490-6602
*
*


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