[Coral-List] Record setting cold in south Florida

[Greg Challenger]

Shinnfluenza.   Thats hilarious.   
 
I have a question.  I first preface it by saying that I do not consider myself to be a skeptic.  
 
If record high temps and record low temps are consistent with global climate change resulting from anthropogenic influences and evidence of change...what were record high and low temps evidence of 100 years ago?  In all seriousness, I am not familiar with the data, but are we seeing significant increases in record high and low temps around the globe?  It seems to me these records would be out of sync with typical past fluctuations. I believe I have read that in the US the number of record highs has outpaced the number of record lows and has been growing in the past 50 years.  Is this true and what do we know about global records of extremes?  
 
Also, what have we learned about physiological tolerances of shallow water corals to temperature extremes in recent years?  I noted tolerances in shallow water corals qualitatively for years in the keys back in the 80s.  There were days in the summer when water in Coupon Bight was measured over 100F in the shallows and better than 90F in 6 to 8 feet of water (which is basically the entire body of water).  I watched a number of isolated coral heads over time without effect, while offshore corals at Looe Key bleached (I think that was 1987 but dont quote me).   Some of these isolated heads were quite old and well over a meter in diameter.  I knew of them all very well because of their propensity to attract lobsters and not divers.  I would love to go back and re-visit to see if they are still alive...perhaps the beginning of August?
 
 
Regards, 
 
Greg E. Challenger
Prinicpal
Marine Scientist/Professional Wetland Scientist
Polaris Applied Sciences, Incorporated
12525 131st Ct NE Kirkland, WA 98034 
425-823-4841 
425-823-3805 fx 
206-369-5686 cell 
visit us at: www.polarisappliedsciences.com
 



 
> To: chwkins at yahoo.com
> From: dgriffin at usgs.gov
> Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:27:24 -0500
> CC: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov; coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Record setting cold in south Florida
> 
> Chris......I agree and offer a public health explanation for this emerging 
> phenomenon. 
> 
> A new illness has manifested itself on the CL which I will term 
> .....Shinnfluenza......the etiological agent (Gene's posts) only infects 
> AGW+'s (there are obviously only two extant types, AGW+'s and 
> AGW-'s)....this infection causes AGW+'s to pen heated rebuttals and 
> prematurely press their email 'send' button
> 
> I think Billy Causey's recent post regarding the wisdom of hitting the 
> 'delete' versus the 'send' button was one that should be kept in mind
> 
> and to be CL compliant.....I hope the Keys corals fare better this winter 
> than last
> 
> keep poking Gene..... 
> 
> 
> "Everybody is ignorant, just on different subjects"
> Will Rogers
> 
> Dale W. Griffin, Ph.D., MSPH
> Environmental/Public Health Microbiologist
> United States Geological Survey
> 2639 North Monroe Street, Suite A-200
> Tallahassee, FL 32303
> Office phone # - 850-553-3675
> Laboratory phone # - 850-553-3659
> USGS Tallahassee main office # - 850-553-3640
> Fax # - 850-553-3641
> Cell # 850-274-3566
> email - dgriffin at usgs.gov
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