NOAA Press Release -- Bleaching
astrong at nesdis.noaa.gov
astrong at nesdis.noaa.gov
Wed Dec 2 15:28:23 EST 1998
NOAA 98-84
CONTACT: Patricia Viets, NOAA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(301) 457-5005 12/2/98
NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT CORAL BLEACHING, NOAA ANNOUNCES
An international team of coral reef experts has reported that high sea
surface temperatures in 1998 have affected almost all species of corals, leading
to unprecedented global coral bleaching and mortality, the Commerce Department's
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today.
Corals live on the upper edge of their temperature tolerance, with high
temperatures directly damaging them. This means that the increase by about 2
degrees Celsius predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for
the next 50 years would pose a serious threat. The 1998 bleaching event may
have far-reaching negative consequences for human health and economies that
depend on biodiversity, fisheries, tourism and shore protection provided by
coral reefs.
The group of experts, attending the International Tropical Marine
Ecosystems Management Symposium conference in Townsville, Queensville, at
Australia's Great Barrier Reef, also reported that associated reef invertebrates
have been affected by warmer sea temperatures. Loss of some corals more than
1000 years old indicates the severity of this event.
"Managers and scientists from around the globe are particularly
concerned about this past year's unprecedented, global bleaching episode," said
D. James Baker, NOAA administrator. "The bleaching and mortality rate may even
worsen in the years ahead. This serves as a wake-up call for more research and
monitoring to help protect these valuable coral reef ecosystems."
Global coral bleaching and die-off was unprecedented in 1998 in
geographic extent, depth, and severity. Although the effects were uneven and
patchy, the only major reef region spared from coral bleaching appears to be the
Central Pacific. In some parts of the Indian Ocean, mortality is as high as 90
percent.
Reefs in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Tanzania were devastated,
with shallow reefs looking like graveyards. Many reefs in Southeast Asia have
been similarly affected. Countries worst hit were Japan, Taiwan, Philippines,
Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the islands of Palau. This will
impact severely on the livelihoods of millions of people.
Current projections of global warming suggest there could be increased
frequency of coral bleaching and coral mortality.
The meeting concluded that this is a matter of particular concern for
dozens of developing nations, especially tropical small islands, because healthy
coral reefs are crucial to their inhabitants' economic and social survival.
Alan Strong, a NOAA oceanographer, has tracked sea surface temperatures
and coral reef events worldwide and was part of the team reporting the
unprecedented results for 1998. He is working with Australian scientists to
develop future research collaboration with NOAA using satellites and buoys more
effectively in coral reef studies. Strong said that an international conference
is being planned for Hawaii in June 1999 to help assess and stimulate further
satellite research of reefs.
###
Maps showing twice-weekly distributions of hot spots are available at:
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/climohot.html
Movie/animations are posted at:
http://manati.wwb.noaa.gov/orad
Maps showing the annual distribution of bleaching from 1969 through 1997 are
posted at: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~goreau
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *****
Alan E. Strong
Phys Scientist/Oceanographer Adj Assoc Res Professor
NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 US Naval Academy
NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W Oceanography Department
5200 Auth Road Annapolis, MD 21402
Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 410-293-6550
Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8108
http://manati.wwb.noaa.gov/orad
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