Coral bleaching

[Cindy Hunter]

Dear Jerry,  Chuck, et al.: 

I have been monitoring a small coral community [maybe 3000 sq m; <3m 
depth] off Kailua, Oahu more or less weekly for the past four years. I 
have begun to be able to predict that SOME colonies of Porites evermanni 
[deeply pigmented massive colonies] and encrusting Montipora patula and M. 
verrucosa will bleach in patches EVERY April/May and September/October. 
Patches vary in size from a few sq cm to half a sq m; some are quite pale 
while others are just mottled. Very few colonies [and only Montipora] are 
entirely bleached.  Patches last for 2-3 weeks before recovering to full 
pigmentation.  

A couple of things strike me about these patterns, as well as the ones 
that you've reported from Belize and Palau. First, late spring and early 
fall are probably NOT times of the year, either now or historically, when 
field work is maximal for most of us.  Whether too early or too late for 
our field seasons, or precluded by finals, new semesters, whatever--it 
might be interesting to gather a consensus of WHEN we're are actually out 
there LOOKING.  Have you or anyone else been in Belize or Palau in October 
previously, with an eye out for bleaching?  Second, is it possible that 
we're getting ever more "tuned in" to bleaching, and therefore are 
increasingly better able to observe even subtle or low level events? I'd  
be very interested in your views-- 

Aloha, 
Cindy