[Coral-List] Bleaching in Bocas del Toro

[Judith Lang/Lynton Land]

Dear Alexandra,
1. Have you noticed the hot spot that's been over Bocas and the SW 
Caribbean is dissipating?
	http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/climohot.html

2. Further north in the Caribbean, when bleaching occurs later in the 
year and water temperatures decrease over the winter season, visible 
signs of recovery are faster in shallower water than at depth.  See:
Lang, J.C., H.R. Lasker, E.H. Gladfelter, P. Hallock, W.C. Jaap, F.J. 
Losada and R.G. Muller. 1992. Spatial and temporal variability during 
periods of "recovery" after mass bleaching on western Atlantic coral 
reefs. Amer. Soc. Zool. 32: 696 - 706.

Judy L


On Jul 5, 2005, at 12:51 PM, Alexandra Amat wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> Just a quick note to let you know that the reefs around the 
> Archipelago of Bocas del Toro (9°N, Caribbean side, Panama) are 
> currently bleaching. All coral species seems to be affected, mostly in 
> shallow waters, but also at depth up to 8m. It seems that water 
> temperature has begun to drop down for now on.
>
> I know it is difficult to answer such a question in general, but how 
> long do we have to wait until we consider full recovery 
> (photosynthesis + calcification) of the bleached corals, meaning when 
> will we be able to consider them non stressed again? I would like to 
> hear from anybody having had experience with recovery measurements on 
> corals with different stages of bleaching.
> Thanks a lot,
>
> Alex
>
> Alexandra AMAT
> Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 948, APO AA 34002-948, 
> USA
> Bocas del Toro Research Station, Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro, Republica 
> de Panama
> amata at naos.si.edu
>
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