[Coral-List] Preparing for Bleaching in the Caribbean

Judith Lang jlang at riposi.net
Sat Sep 25 13:31:16 EDT 2010


Hi Doug,
Thank you for reminding us of the importance of bleaching-associated  
disease outbreaks. Given what happened after the 1998 and 2005 mass- 
bleaching events (e.g., Kramer, 2003; Miller et al., 2009), the  
possibility that this could occur again in the wider Caribbean is a  
major concern. But corals here have also died after having been  
severely bleached without showing any visible signs of disease  
(Oxenford, H.A. et al., 2009).

If responses to the 2005 severe bleaching event are any guide to the  
future, researchers in the affected areas will either intensify their  
own monitoring efforts or initiate BLAGGRA Belt Transect surveys. Rest  
assured they will describe any subsequent outbreaks of disease or  
other kinds of post-bleaching mortality. As you know, surveys like  
these are labour-intensive and, to be credible, must be carried out by  
experienced surveyors–which unfortunately limits how many sites can be  
assessed and, hence, the generality of any findings.

The BLAGRRA Line Transect protocol complements detailed monitoring  
efforts with quickly obtained data on the cumulative effects of all  
causes of death in all species of corals. We hope it would be used to  
capture the spatial extent of bleaching (and any direct bleaching  
mortality) at representative sites in addition to  those of local  
strategic importance (like MPAs); facilitate the continuation of  
surveys after the initial excitement induced by the bleaching event  
has passed but corals are in danger of succumbing to some form of post- 
bleaching mortality; and simplify subsequent regional comparisons  
(e.g., Eakin et al., in press).

Providing they know what healthy corals should look like in their  
area, rangers, marine biology students, recreational divers, etc., can  
easily be taught to use the line transect protocol because it isn't  
necessary to be proficient at identifying species or in distinguishing  
the signs of diverse coral diseases versus predators and other sources  
of mortality. (However, space is available on the data sheets for more  
knowledgeable surveyors to name the corals which are most affected, or  
any coral diseases, along with other kinds of bleached or diseased  
organisms, such as zoanthids, soft corals and sponges.)

In my original posting I forgot to remind all those who are worried  
about the likelihood of bleaching on their reefs to examine NOAA's  
most recent degree heating week chart for their specific geographic  
area (these are available at www.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/ocean/cb/dhw.html).

Note also that the line transect protocol should be adaptable for use  
on Indo-Pacific reefs.

Best regards,
Judy

References
Eakin, M. and 66 others. In press. Caribbean corals in crisis: record  
thermal stress, bleaching, and mortality in 2005. PLoS ONE.

Kramer, P.A. 2003. Synthesis of coral reef health indicators for the  
western Atlantic: results of the AGRRA program (1997-2000). Atoll Res.  
Bull. 496:1-55.

Miller, J., E. Muller, C. Rogers, R. Warra, A. Atkinson, K.R.T.  
Whelan, M. Patterson, B. Witcher. 2009. Coral disease following  
massive bleaching in 2005 casues 60% decline in coral cover on reefs  
in the US Virgin Islands. Coral Reefs 28:925-937.

Oxenford, H.A., R. Roach and A. Braithwaite. 2009. Large scale coral  
mortality in Barbados: a delayed response to the 2005 bleaching  
episode. Proc. 11th Int. Coral Reef Symp. 505-509.

******************************************
On Sep 24, 2010, at 11:57 PM, Douglas Fenner wrote:

> Since coral disease outbreaks have been reported following some  
> bleaching events, I'd suggest people keep disease in mind for  
> monitoring as well, if a bleaching event develops in their area.   
> The diseases can cause a significant proportion of the total  
> mortality.    Doug
>
> News from “Science Now”:  “Record Hot Summer Wrecks Havoc.”
>
> Science Now reports that NASA says this year so far is the hottest  
> on record in the 131 years of record keeping.  Nearly 0.7 C hotter  
> than the average from 1951 to 1980, and NOAA has found essentially  
> the same thing using different data.  Nightime temperatures hit  
> record highs in 37 states of the US this summer.  The National Snow  
> and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado, has found near-record ice  
> area loss so far this year in the Arctic Ocean, and expects the area  
> to hit a record low this year.  Ice volume is at a record low,  
> 10,000 cubic kilometers lower than the average of the last 30  
> years.  Ice volume is being lost at 17% per decade.  The open sea  
> surface absorbs much more light energy than the white ice, trapping  
> more heat.
>
> http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/09/record-hot-summer-wreaks-havoc.html?etoc=&sms_ss=email

> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judith Lang" <jlang at riposi.net>
> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 12:37 AM
> Subject: [Coral-List] Preparing for Bleaching in the Caribbean
>
>
> Fellow Coral Reef Enthusiasts,
>
> We certainly hope not, but should current predictions for parts of the
> Caribbean come to pass, the vital signs of affected corals should be
> followed like those of heart attack victims because the long-term
> impacts of having been severely bleached can be of greater
> significance than the initial trauma.
>
> We invite regional divers to join us in monitoring simple, ecosystem-
> level pigmentation changes in live corals and any associated changes
> in live coral cover using the newly updated BLAGGRA Line Transects
> protocol (www.agrra.org/BLAGRRA). Sites can be very quickly and
> repeatedly surveyed by small teams of 1-2 experienced divers. A
> representative assessment can be made of reefs in the area affected by
> bleaching, and/or sampling can be focused on special-interest sites
> (such as within and outside of MPAs).
>
> Try to start the surveys before bleaching begins (if possible).
> Resurvey whenever bleaching occurs, and at intervals during any
> subsequent period of delayed mortality or recovery until conditions
> return to “normal.”
>
> To assess coral conditions at the population level, with species- and
> size- specific, information, see the companion BLAGGRA Belt Transects
> protocol (www.agrra.org/BLAGRRA).
>
> Data submitted to the AGRRA project will be processed, summarized,
> and speedily posted online at the AGRRA website.
>
> Please help us create a regionally consistent and comparable
> database for everyone to use.
>
> Judy Lang
> For the AGRRA Organizing Committee
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list

On Sep 24, 2010, at 11:57 PM, Douglas Fenner wrote:

> Since coral disease outbreaks have been reported following some  
> bleaching events, I'd suggest people keep disease in mind for  
> monitoring as well, if a bleaching event develops in their area.   
> The diseases can cause a significant proportion of the total  
> mortality.    Doug
>
> News from “Science Now”:  “Record Hot Summer Wrecks Havoc.”
>
> Science Now reports that NASA says this year so far is the hottest  
> on record in the 131 years of record keeping.  Nearly 0.7 C hotter  
> than the average from 1951 to 1980, and NOAA has found essentially  
> the same thing using different data.  Nightime temperatures hit  
> record highs in 37 states of the US this summer.  The National Snow  
> and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado, has found near-record ice  
> area loss so far this year in the Arctic Ocean, and expects the area  
> to hit a record low this year.  Ice volume is at a record low,  
> 10,000 cubic kilometers lower than the average of the last 30  
> years.  Ice volume is being lost at 17% per decade.  The open sea  
> surface absorbs much more light energy than the white ice, trapping  
> more heat.
>
> http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/09/record-hot-summer-wreaks-havoc.html?etoc=&sms_ss=email
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judith Lang" <jlang at riposi.net>
> To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 12:37 AM
> Subject: [Coral-List] Preparing for Bleaching in the Caribbean
>
>
> Fellow Coral Reef Enthusiasts,
>
> We certainly hope not, but should current predictions for parts of the
> Caribbean come to pass, the vital signs of affected corals should be
> followed like those of heart attack victims because the long-term
> impacts of having been severely bleached can be of greater
> significance than the initial trauma.
>
> We invite regional divers to join us in monitoring simple, ecosystem-
> level pigmentation changes in live corals and any associated changes
> in live coral cover using the newly updated BLAGGRA Line Transects
> protocol (www.agrra.org/BLAGRRA). Sites can be very quickly and
> repeatedly surveyed by small teams of 1-2 experienced divers. A
> representative assessment can be made of reefs in the area affected by
> bleaching, and/or sampling can be focused on special-interest sites
> (such as within and outside of MPAs).
>
> Try to start the surveys before bleaching begins (if possible).
> Resurvey whenever bleaching occurs, and at intervals during any
> subsequent period of delayed mortality or recovery until conditions
> return to “normal.”
>
> To assess coral conditions at the population level, with species- and
> size- specific, information, see the companion BLAGGRA Belt Transects
> protocol (www.agrra.org/BLAGRRA).
>
> Data submitted to the AGRRA project will be processed, summarized,
> and speedily posted online at the AGRRA website.
>
> Please help us create a regionally consistent and comparable
> database for everyone to use.
>
> Judy Lang
> For the AGRRA Organizing Committee
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list




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