Coral mortality

Alina Szmant aszmant at rsmas.miami.edu
Wed Jan 14 16:07:27 EST 1998


>Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 14:37:14
>To: Hector Reyes Bonilla <hreyes at calafia.uabcs.mx>
>From: Alina Szmant <aszmant at rsmas.miami.edu>
>Subject: Re: Coral mortality
>
>Dear Hector:
>
>The problem with that hypothesis is that it won't explain coral mortality
in the middles of colonies as opposed to edges.  In mid-colonies, tissues
start to thin because of decreased food supply etc., and then the
semi-exposed skeletons become colonized by algae etc.  Given the simple
tissue structure of corals, there may be some "live tissue" still left on
the skeleton at the time the colonization begins, but not enough to really
constitute a defense of the skeleton.  Not sure if you see my point, but
something to think about.
>
>Alina Szmant
>
>
>At 10:56 AM 1/14/98 -0600, you wrote:
>>	Dear coraleros:
>>	I have been looking for data on why corals die after they were 
>>bleached. In the beginning, I thought that it was a physiological problem 
>>or so, but after following bleached corals in the Gulf of California for 
>>several months, I observed that most of them die because of overgrowing 
>>of other species (mostly algae), and not by "natural causes". Do you know 
>>of any paper doing explicit reference of this? Thanks.
>>	Hector Reyes
>>	UABCS, Depto. Biologia Marina
>>	La Paz, BCS, MEXICO
>>
>>
>>
>
**********************************************
Dr. Alina M. Szmant
Coral Reef Research Group
RSMAS-MBF
University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy.
Miami FL 33149

TEL: (305)361-4609
FAX: (305)361-4600 or 361-4005
E-mail:  ASZMANT at RSMAS.MIAMI.EDU
**********************************************



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