[Coral-List] Glovers Reef bleaching

[Brie Cokos]

Hi-

I work for Dr. Tim McClanahan in Glovers Reef, Belize.  I've been working
there for the past 4 years and have made bleaching observations in the past.
I'm starting school this fall at RSMAS, but before my most recent
observations slip my mind, I wanted to report what I saw two weeks ago.

I was in Belize for most of the months of June and August.  In August, I
noted recent bleaching of corals of the genus Acropora.  Both A. palmata and
A. cervicornis showed signs of the bleaching, but no other species seemed to
be affected.  The observations were taken in three different locations
within the atoll's lagoon (no observations taken on the fore reef) during
repeated benthic transects.  That genus is already found in low numbers
within Glovers due to its slow recovery after Hurricane Mitch in '98 and
various other bleaching events.  In an odd twist, I did some work at the
Brooklyn Aquarium (WCS) in the coral culture lab in May and noted bleaching
among our Acropora samples just before I left.  Even samples in SEPARATE
tanks were showing the same bleaching trends.  Not sure if there is a
correlation, but an interesting observation none the less.

If you have any questions about my observations or need further
details/clarification, let me know.

Brie Cokos
bcokos at rsmas.miami.edu
bcokos at wcs.org