[Coral-List] Bleaching refuges

Bill Allison allison.billiam at gmail.com
Thu Apr 21 09:11:04 EDT 2016


Hi Doug, Deb,
"Shading might make the difference between more mortality and less
morality."
I have observed this light-related effect in several bleaching episodes.
In 1998 elevated temperature swamped the shade effect except:
(1) in some lagoons with where vulnerable species survived well. This was
correlated with re-suspended fines from dredge-and-fill and beach
nourishment that kept the water turbid and;
(2) in some harbours where something similar went on apparently because
dive boat activity re-suspended fines and anchored boats shaded the corals
much of the day, especially at noon.
Bill

On Sat, Apr 16, 2016 at 4:56 AM, Douglas Fenner <
douglasfennertassi at gmail.com> wrote:

> I would think that shading won't cool the water enough to make a
> difference.  But the intense tropical sun interacts with high water
> temperatures to stress corals more than high temperatures alone stress
> them.  It is the reason that upper surfaces often bleach more than lower
> surfaces on corals.  Shading might make the difference between more
> mortality and less morality.
>      Cheers,  Doug
>
> On Fri, Apr 15, 2016 at 1:23 AM, Deborah Burn <deborah.burn at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Dear listers,
> >
> > I've been reading this thread with great interest and am interested in
> > trialing this shade cloth idea, however i'm not sure it will work given
> my
> > situation....
> > I'm based on an island in the Maldives, where our 2m deep fore reef has
> > bleached extensively within the last week, with data loggers showing 31C.
> > Our reef has low coral cover (possibly caused by previous El Ninos - my
> > best guess, as no surveying was done here pre 2012), but is showing good
> > recruitment rates. We run a coral rehabilitation project in an effort to
> > restore some structural and functional integrity to areas which are
> > recovering slower. Our methods are after Levy *et al* 2010, by nursing
> > corals on ropes at 5m depth, 2m above the sandy sea floor prior to
> > transplantation. I have about 5000 corals currently in the nursery, which
> > is 10m by 20m, and am waiting for the bleaching to inevitably happen.
> > Despite my sadness, this is an ideal situation for research during this
> > event, and I have been reading this thread hoping someone might offer a
> > solution i have failed to come up with. I was interested in the shade
> cloth
> > idea, but was wondering if anyone has any insight as to whether it would
> be
> > worth shading such a small area?
> > I have three questions:
> > 1. If the surrounding water is hot, will shade cloth make a significant
> > enough difference on the temperature of the water over such a small area,
> > or would this idea need to be tested over much larger areas? Any advice/
> > other ideas will be of great help!
> > 2. Failing this idea, has anyone relocated coral nurseries to deeper,
> > cooler areas?
> > 3. Whilst we know bleaching is a natural response, and may recover, I
> > wonder at which point does a bleaching event become long enough for me to
> > start taking drastic measures to save my nursery grown corals? I don't
> want
> > to risk the stress of relocation unless i have to...
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Debs
> >
> > > From: beridl at g.cofc.edu
> > > Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2016 20:23:08 -0400
> > > To: douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
> > > CC: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > > Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Bleaching refuges
> > >
> > > Well that's news to me. We seriously need to come up with some way to
> > immediately assist these corals though. Has anyone been trying anything?
> > Are we just hoping that these events will act as genetic bottle necks and
> > only the corals that can survive will remain and reproduce?
> > >
> > > There has to be some rogue scientists or citizens taking some unique
> and
> > experimental approaches to mitigate this disaster. So far just the
> > Bleaching task force has gather quantitative data on the extent of the
> > bleaching correct?
> > >
> > > Also, could laying a tarp over the water to reduce PAR, kill PS
> > planktonic animals?
> > >
> > > Sent from my iPhone
> > >
> > > > On Mar 31, 2016, at 8:07 PM, Douglas Fenner <
> > douglasfennertassi at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Unfortunately, the calcification process actually releases CO2 into
> > the water, even though C is put into the skeleton (in the form of
> > carbonate, CO3). It is counter intuitive.
> > > >
> > > > Cheers, Doug
> > > >
> > > > WARE, J. R., S. V. SMITH, AND M. L. REAKA-KUDLA. 1992. Coral reefs:
> > Sources or sinks of atmospheric CO,? Coral Reefs 11: 127-130.
> > > >
> > > > Frankignoulle, M., Canon, C., Gattuso, J-P. 1994. Marine
> calcification
> > as a source of carbon dioxide: Positive feedback of increasing
> atmospheric
> > CO2.. Limnol. Oceanogr. 39: 458-462.
> > > >
> > > >> On Thu, Mar 31, 2016 at 12:01 PM, Damien Beri <beridl at g.cofc.edu>
> > wrote:
> > > >> Carbon credits
> > > >>
> > > >> As insidious as it is to sell the ability to pollute, cooperations
> > that want to "reduce their carbon footprint" buy carbon credits.
> Immediate
> > relief exceeds the long term problem in my opinion... for now. Since
> > scleractinians sequester CO2 they act as green house gas
> > sinks/reservoirs/banks/investments and essentially are a continuous
> carbon
> > credit principle.
> > > >>
> > > >> If cloud seeding, or tarping the surface of the water saves X amount
> > of corals, which go on to sequester Y amount more carbon then this is
> worth
> > real money world wide. So technically if a company saves coral, then they
> > are sequestering CO2 and if they are sequestering CO2 then they are
> > creating carbon credits, and if they are creating carbon credits they are
> > making money... Which is what everyone cares about anyways, money. We
> care
> > about these corals and so its symbiotic, both parties benefit.
> > > >>
> > > >> Sent from my iPhone
> > > >>
> > > >> Sent from my iPhone
> > > >>
> > > >>> On Mar 31, 2016, at 5:58 PM, Douglas Fenner <
> > douglasfennertassi at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >>>
> > > >>> In the U.S., there is a national law called the "Clean Water Act."
> I
> > believe the U.S. federal government Environmental Protection Agency is
> > designated to enforce it. Some states may have similar state laws and
> > agencies. I am not familiar enough with any of these to say whether they
> > would cover this sort of thing, but they might.
> > > >>> Cheers, Doug
> > > >>>
> > > >>>> On Thu, Mar 31, 2016 at 10:38 AM, Pedro M Alcolado <
> > gmalcolado at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >>>> Funding should come from environmental agencies in charge of
> > > >>>> controlling land based pollution from rivers close to coral reefs.
> > > >>>> Indeed it is quite difficult to be achieved being it a very
> > expensive
> > > >>>> and complex intervention. I think it is worth to try to demand
> > > >>>> cleaning or improving pollution control of such polluted rivers by
> > > >>>> local or national relevant stakeholders and governmental instances
> > in
> > > >>>> charge. Do you have any other idea about achieving it in some
> > degree?
> > > >>>> There are many examples of rivers where luxuriant coral reefs
> > thrived
> > > >>>> very close to their mouth in the past.
> > > >>>> Pedro
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> On 3/30/16, Damien Beri <beridl at g.cofc.edu> wrote:
> > > >>>> > I agree, where would funding come from?
> > > >>>> >
> > > >>>> > Sent from my iPhone
> > > >>>> >
> > > >>>> >> On Mar 29, 2016, at 4:03 PM, Douglas Fenner <
> > douglasfennertassi at gmail.com>
> > > >>>> >> wrote:
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> Paul,
> > > >>>> >> Well said, thank you very much for this idea. I think this idea
> > is a
> > > >>>> >> good one, and well worth trying. We don't seem to have any
> other
> > options
> > > >>>> >> at this point, and it could well work. Cheers, Doug
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >>> On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 12:40 PM, Paul Muir <
> > paul.muir at qm.qld.gov.au>
> > > >>>> >>> wrote:
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>> I proposed this idea many years ago (~2005!) on coral list and
> > am
> > > >>>> >>> wondering if anyone ever tried anything like this? Given the
> > current
> > > >>>> >>> bleaching on the northern GBR and likelihood of other areas
> > being hit
> > > >>>> >>> soon
> > > >>>> >>> perhaps it's worth someone doing a trial? Desperate times..
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>> Severe coral bleaching events can cause very high levels of
> > coral
> > > >>>> >>> morality
> > > >>>> >>> and the recovery of reefs following such events can be very
> > slow. For
> > > >>>> >>> example, recovery of corals in the Seychelles Islands
> following
> > the
> > > >>>> >>> severe
> > > >>>> >>> 1998 bleaching event was extremely slow and regional
> extinction
> > of some
> > > >>>> >>> species a possibility. Localised extinctions and slow recovery
> > could be
> > > >>>> >>> mitigated if small areas of reef were protected during
> > bleaching events:
> > > >>>> >>> corals have extremely high fecundity and only a few healthy
> > individuals
> > > >>>> >>> of
> > > >>>> >>> each species would needed to accelerate recovery. Field
> > observations and
> > > >>>> >>> studies of the physiology of coral bleaching suggest that
> > shading corals
> > > >>>> >>> during a high temperature event can reduce mortality rates.
> > Small areas
> > > >>>> >>> of
> > > >>>> >>> reef (to 10,000m2 area) could be provided with moderate
> shading
> > by the
> > > >>>> >>> use
> > > >>>> >>> of floating covers similar to those used in farm dams and
> > industrial
> > > >>>> >>> ponds.
> > > >>>> >>> Such covers are light, float upon the water surface and could
> > be rapidly
> > > >>>> >>> deployed from a small boat during a high-temperature event.
> The
> > covers
> > > >>>> >>> would be held in place with small anchors and inflatable seams
> > would
> > > >>>> >>> provide a flexible, semi-rigid structure that would resist
> > small waves
> > > >>>> >>> and
> > > >>>> >>> swells at a protected site. High temperature bleaching events
> > typically
> > > >>>> >>> occur during very flat, calm conditions over just a few weeks
> > which
> > > >>>> >>> makes
> > > >>>> >>> deploying floating covers such as this feasible. Real-time
> > monitoring of
> > > >>>> >>> the development of bleaching conditions and small-scale
> > engineering
> > > >>>> >>> solutions may become increasingly important for the
> > preservation of
> > > >>>> >>> thermally sensitive species at local scales.
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>> I can supply some ideas for a test-scale floating cover on
> > request.
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>> Dr. Paul Muir
> > > >>>> >>> Research Officer/ Collection Manager Corals, Biodiversity &
> > > >>>> >>> Geosciences Program
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>> Museum of Tropical Queensland | Queensland Museum
> > > >>>> >>> 70 - 102 Flinders Street | Townsville | Queensland 4810 |
> > Australia
> > > >>>> >>> t +61 7 47 260 642 | f +61 7 47 212 093 | m +61 407 117 998 |
> > > >>>> >>> www.qm.qld.gov.au
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>> Affiliate, Global Change Institute, University of Queensland
> > > >>>> >>> ResearchGate | Google Scholar | Staghorn Corals Website
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>>
> > > >>>> >>>
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> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> --
> > > >>>> >> Douglas Fenner
> > > >>>> >> Consultant, corals, coral reefs, coral identification
> > > >>>> >> "have regulator, will travel"
> > > >>>> >> PO Box 7390
> > > >>>> >> Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 USA
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> phone 1 684 622-7084
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> Join the International Society for Reef Studies. Membership
> > includes a
> > > >>>> >> subscription to the journal Coral Reefs, and there are
> discounts
> > for pdf
> > > >>>> >> subscriptions and developing countries. Check it out!
> > www.fit.edu/isrs/
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> "Belief in climate change is optional, participation is not."-
> > Jim
> > > >>>> >> Beever.
> > > >>>> >> "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their
> own
> > > >>>> >> facts."-
> > > >>>> >> Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> Record shattering February warmth bakes Alaska, Arctic 18oF
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >>
> >
> http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/13/3759569/record-february-warmth-alaska-arctic/
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> Sea level is now rising at the fastest rate in 3,000 years.
> > > >>>> >>
> >
> http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/02/sea-levels-are-rising-their-fastest-rate-2000-years?utm_campaign=email-news-latest&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=292592
> > > >>>> >>
> >
> http://mashable.com/2016/02/22/manmade-sea-level-rise-flooding/#fscPLGedCiqz
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> Miami is flooding: "The Siege of Miami, as temperatures rise,
> so
> > will sea
> > > >>>> >> levels." Sea level rising an inch a year there.
> > > >>>> >>
> http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/12/21/the-siege-of-miami
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> website: http://independent.academia.edu/DouglasFenner
> > > >>>> >>
> > > >>>> >> blog: http://ocean.si.edu/blog/reefs-american-samoa-story-hope
> > > >>>> >> _______________________________________________
> > > >>>> >> Coral-List mailing list
> > > >>>> >> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > > >>>> >> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> > > >>>> > _______________________________________________
> > > >>>> > Coral-List mailing list
> > > >>>> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > > >>>> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> > > >>>> >
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>> --
> > > >>> Douglas Fenner
> > > >>> Consultant, corals, coral reefs, coral identification
> > > >>> "have regulator, will travel"
> > > >>> PO Box 7390
> > > >>> Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 USA
> > > >>>
> > > >>> phone 1 684 622-7084
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Join the International Society for Reef Studies. Membership
> includes
> > a subscription to the journal Coral Reefs, and there are discounts for
> pdf
> > subscriptions and developing countries. Check it out! www.fit.edu/isrs/
> > > >>>
> > > >>> "Belief in climate change is optional, participation is not."- Jim
> > Beever. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own
> > facts."- Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Solar can power more than 100 times America's current electricity
> > needs, a new report finds
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> >
> http://www.theclimategroup.org/what-we-do/news-and-blogs/solar-can-power-more-than-100-times-americas-current-electricity-needs-new-report-finds
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Record shattering February warmth bakes Alaska, Arctic 18oF
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> >
> http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/13/3759569/record-february-warmth-alaska-arctic/
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Sea level is now rising at the fastest rate in 3,000 years.
> > > >>>
> >
> http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/02/sea-levels-are-rising-their-fastest-rate-2000-years?utm_campaign=email-news-latest&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=292592
> > > >>>
> >
> http://mashable.com/2016/02/22/manmade-sea-level-rise-flooding/#fscPLGedCiqz
> > > >>>
> > > >>> website: http://independent.academia.edu/DouglasFenner
> > > >>>
> > > >>> blog: http://ocean.si.edu/blog/reefs-american-samoa-story-hope
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Douglas Fenner
> > > > Consultant, corals, coral reefs, coral identification
> > > > "have regulator, will travel"
> > > > PO Box 7390
> > > > Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 USA
> > > >
> > > > phone 1 684 622-7084
> > > >
> > > > Join the International Society for Reef Studies. Membership includes
> a
> > subscription to the journal Coral Reefs, and there are discounts for pdf
> > subscriptions and developing countries. Check it out! www.fit.edu/isrs/
> > > >
> > > > "Belief in climate change is optional, participation is not."- Jim
> > Beever. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own
> > facts."- Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
> > > >
> > > > Solar can power more than 100 times America's current electricity
> > needs, a new report finds
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> http://www.theclimategroup.org/what-we-do/news-and-blogs/solar-can-power-more-than-100-times-americas-current-electricity-needs-new-report-finds
> > > >
> > > > Record shattering February warmth bakes Alaska, Arctic 18oF
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/13/3759569/record-february-warmth-alaska-arctic/
> > > >
> > > > Sea level is now rising at the fastest rate in 3,000 years.
> > > >
> >
> http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/02/sea-levels-are-rising-their-fastest-rate-2000-years?utm_campaign=email-news-latest&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=292592
> > > >
> >
> http://mashable.com/2016/02/22/manmade-sea-level-rise-flooding/#fscPLGedCiqz
> > > >
> > > > website: http://independent.academia.edu/DouglasFenner
> > > >
> > > > blog: http://ocean.si.edu/blog/reefs-american-samoa-story-hope
> > > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Coral-List mailing list
> > > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Douglas Fenner
> Consultant/contractor: corals, coral reefs, coral identification
> "have regulator, will travel"
> PO Box 7390
> Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799  USA
>
> phone 1 684 622-7084
>
> Join the International Society for Reef Studies.  Membership includes a
> subscription to the journal Coral Reefs, and there are discounts for pdf
> subscriptions and developing countries.  Check it out!  www.fit.edu/isrs/
>
> "Belief in climate change is optional, participation is not."- Jim Beever.
>   "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own facts."-
> Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
>
> Solar can power more than 100 times America's current electricity needs, a
> new report finds
>
>
> http://www.theclimategroup.org/what-we-do/news-and-blogs/solar-can-power-more-than-100-times-americas-current-electricity-needs-new-report-finds
>
> Record shattering February warmth bakes Alaska, Arctic 18oF above normal
>
>
> http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/03/13/3759569/record-february-warmth-alaska-arctic/
>
> Sea level is now rising at the fastest rate in 3,000 years.
>
> http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/02/sea-levels-are-rising-their-fastest-rate-2000-years?utm_campaign=email-news-latest&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=292592
>
> http://mashable.com/2016/02/22/manmade-sea-level-rise-flooding/#fscPLGedCiqz
>
> website:  http://independent.academia.edu/DouglasFenner
>
> blog: http://ocean.si.edu/blog/reefs-american-samoa-story-hope
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>



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