[Coral-List] Need information about coral mortality

[Alan E Strong]

Hi Pedro -

Our SST HotSpots & associated Degree Heating Weeks (DHW) data for 1985 and 1986 show little in the way of thermal stress during that period...indeed 1987 (El Nino year) did move closer to presenting some stress through portions of the Caribbean, but that year along the MaBRS was nothing in comparison to what we have seen in more recent years.

Cheers,
Al

Pedro Alcolado wrote:

> Dear Coral listers,
>
> I just read that Acropora palmata suffered massive mortality in Belize after 1986. Do someone of you know what caused that massive mortality? I suspect that in southern Cuba the extended massive mortality of Acropora palmata took place between summer of 1987 and 1992. We could not observe which was the main cause of the demise. I know that white band was considered the cause in most places of the Caribbean, but I wonder if massive coral bleaching affecting A. palmata could be also a possibility during the warm summer of 1987. The problem is that white band affecting A. palmata is very rare in Cuba, and I myself have not seen any case. Here, patchy necrosis is the most common one affecting A.p. Do you know any situation of mass mortality of A. palmata due to bleaching?
> Thank you,
> Pedro
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Alan E. Strong
Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST)
Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator
Phys Scientist/Oceanographer
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