[Coral-List] Belize Bleaching

Melanie McField mcfield at wwfca.org
Thu Dec 4 10:39:57 EST 2003


We do have some bleaching in Belize. It seems to have started in mid-late
October. We have reports now from Glovers Reef Atoll, Laughing Bird Faroe,
and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve off Ambergris Caye (I'm sure there are more
locations that haven't reported yet). It is generally "partial bleaching" of
up to ~50-60% colonies. Overall it seems to be rather patchy in
distribution. Definitely not as severe as 98 or even 95. There was still a
lot of bleaching 2 weeks ago at Laughing bird, but Hol Chan has already
reported some recovery.

If I can collect enough information from field staff I will put together a
better report.

Melanie McField



Melanie McField, Ph.D.
Mesoamerican Reef Scientist/Belize SPO
World Wildlife Fund
PO Box 512,  7 Fullers Court
Belize City, Belize

tel: (501)223-7680   fax: (501) 223-7681
email: mcfield at wwfca.org

-----Original Message-----
From: George Warner [mailto:gfwarner at uwimona.edu.jm]
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 9:12 AM
To: yuri.chakalall at dfait-maeci.gc.ca; kai at kai-wulf.de;
carib-coral-reefs at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Carib-coral-reefs] Fwd: [carib-biodiversity] Dominica:
Coral Reef Bleaching


We now have reports of bleaching from Dominica, St Lucia, Puerto Rico,
Jamaica (still severe yesterday) and Barbados. We also saw some
bleaching in Haiti in September. From the NOAA hotspots website it looks
as if the Meso-American barrier reef system should also have been
affected. Does anyone know?

George F Warner, Ph.D.
Director, Centre for Marine Sciences
University of the West Indies
Mona, Kingston 7
Jamaica
Tel: (876) 977-0262
Fax: (876) 977-1033
email: george.warner at uwimona.edu.jm

-----Original Message-----
From: yuri.chakalall at dfait-maeci.gc.ca
[mailto:yuri.chakalall at dfait-maeci.gc.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 9:15 AM
To: kai at kai-wulf.de; carib-coral-reefs at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Carib-coral-reefs] Fwd: [carib-biodiversity] Dominica:
Coral Reef Bleaching

Anecdotal information from fellow divers and my own personal
observations, indicate that Barbados, has also been experiencing
significant bleaching on west and
south coast reefs, in the past few months.

Grateful, if someone from the Barbados CZMU or Bellairs Res. Institute,
could provide some estimate of the spatial extent of bleaching observed,
recently.

Yuri Chakalall

-----Original Message-----
From: Kai [mailto:kai at kai-wulf.de]
Sent: December 1, 2003 11:21 AM
To: carib-coral-reefs at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Carib-coral-reefs] Fwd: [carib-biodiversity] Dominica:
Coral Reef Bleaching


Parallel to the Jamaica experience, due to the unusually high water
temperatures and extremely calm weather, there is also still severe
bleaching on the west coast of St. Lucia. Interestingly, the bleaching
seems to be mainly limited to areas protected from the stronger, general
currents.



Kai Wulf

Manager

Soufriere Marine Management Association

P.O. Box 305

3 Bay Street

Soufriere

St. Lucia, West Indies

Phone: (758) 459-5500

Fax: (758) 459-7799

Email: smma at candw.lc

Website: http://www.smma.org.lc <http://www.smma.org.lc/>





-----Original Message-----
From: George Warner [mailto:gfwarner at uwimona.edu.jm]
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 11:07 AM
To: 'Potter at Island Resources'; 'Caribbean Coral Reefs'
Cc: 'Bob Conrich'
Subject: RE: [Carib-coral-reefs] Fwd: [carib-biodiversity] Dominica:
Coral Reef Bleaching



We are seeing quite severe bleaching now on the south coast of Jamaica,
probably associated with hot-spots in October / November and rather calm
weather. November / December bleaching may be more unusual than October.
Any other coral bleaching this year around the Caribbean?

George F Warner, Ph.D.
Director, Centre for Marine Sciences
University of the West Indies
Mona, Kingston 7
Jamaica
Tel: (876) 977-0262
Fax: (876) 977-1033
email: george.warner at uwimona.edu.jm

-----Original Message-----
From: Potter at Island Resources [mailto:bpotter at irf.org]
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2003 9:04 PM
To: Caribbean Coral Reefs
Cc: Bob Conrich
Subject: [Carib-coral-reefs] Fwd: [carib-biodiversity] Dominica: Coral
Reef Bleaching

Am I wrong, or is coral bleaching in the Caribbean in October pretty
unusual . . .?


>To: Caribbean Biodiversity <caribbean-biodiversity at yahoogroups.com>
>From: Bob Conrich <bob at eastcaribbean.com>
>Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 07:41:55 -0400
>Subject: [carib-biodiversity] Dominica: Coral Reef Bleaching
>
>
>Dominica Chronicle
>21 November 2002
>
>Rising temperatures threaten coral reefs
>
>Rising sea temperature is causing extensive bleaching and
>threatening degradation of corals reefs found in Dominica waters.
>
>This is according to Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for
>Tropical Marine Ecology (ITME), Marine Biologist, Dr.
>Sascha Steiner. Steiner said the ITME had been monitoring sea
>temperatures and coral health in the seas surrounding Dominica
>in mid-October when the bleached corals were observed.
>
>He said it is clear that the corals are being affected as the
>temperature continues to climb even in deeper waters that are
>usually cooler.
>
>World expert on coral bleaching, Dr. Raymond Hayes, who recently
>visited the ITME, noted that temperature-induced bleaching
>occurs when sea temperature elevations go above the highest annual
>average and last for two to four weeks, as has taken place
>in Dominica.
>
>The ITME has identified bleaching in 25 species, some of which play
>a crucial role in the reef's structural soundness. The
>bleaching has caused a severe and massive stress factor that is
>threatening large-scale degradation of corals, he said.
>
>Steiner believes that the protection of the coral reefs is an
>essential ingredient to national development. "Although the
>rise in sea temperature seen in Dominica is probably a global
>phenomena, local effects such as the run off from heavy rains
>exacerbates the stress on coral reefs and can expedite as well as
>increase the mortality rate of reef organisms," he said.
>
>Coral bleaching is a stress condition in reef corals which involves
>a breakdown of the symbiotic relationship between corals
>and unicellular algae (zooxanthellae). These microscopic plants live
>within the coral tissue and provide the coral with food
>for growth and their normal healthy colour.
>
>The symptoms of bleaching include a gradual loss of colour as the
>algae are expelled from the coral tissue, sometimes leaving
>corals bone white. Bleaching stress is also exhibited by other reef
>animals that have a symbiotic relationship with
>unicellular algae such as soft corals, giant clams and some sponges.
>
>Reef corals are very sensitive to sea temperatures outside their
>normal range. When temperatures exceed threshold levels for
>long enough, the symbiotic relationship between the zooxanthellae
>and the corals breaks down and bleaching results.
>
>
>
>##################################################
>To unsubscribe, send a BLANK message to
><caribbean-biodiversity-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com>
>and you can always join again with a BLANK message to
><caribbean-biodiversity-subscribe at yahoogroups.com>
>##################################################
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/


--
   Island Resources,  1718 "P" St NW # T-4, Washington, DC 20036
Fone 202/265-9712      fax 202/232-0748; E-mail: <bpotter at irf.org>
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
              EPA Environmental Quality Award Winner for 2003!
   Moderators of 25 e-mail discussion lists for Caribbean
Environmentalists
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+


To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Carib-coral-reefs-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com



Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/







Yahoo! Groups Sponsor



ADVERTISEMENT

<http://rd.yahoo.com/SIG=12cci7vlq/M=267637.4116732.5333197.1261774/D=eg
roupweb/S=1705083063:HM/EXP=1070377712/A=1853618/R=0/*http:/www.netflix.
com/Default?mqso=60178338&partid=4116732> click here



<http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=267637.4116732.5333197.1261774/D=egrou
pmail/S=:HM/A=1853618/rand=483186939>


To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Carib-coral-reefs-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com



Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!
<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>  Terms of Service.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Carib-coral-reefs-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com



Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Carib-coral-reefs-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com



Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/



------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/3CYolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Carib-coral-reefs-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com



Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/






More information about the Coral-List mailing list