[Coral-List] Bleaching Potential in Fiji and American Samoa

[Mark Eakin]

Melanesia: Bleaching Warning in Fiji-Beqa

Warmer than normal waters continue throughout Melanesian waters.   
Thermal Stress now exceeds 12 degree heating weeks in a large area  
southeast of Samoa and American Samoa.  Workers in this area should  
be watching for localized warming and bleaching.

A smaller area of warm water is directly influencing Fiji and a level  
1 bleaching alert has now been issued for Fiji-Beqa.  The pixel used  
for Fiji-Beqa has now reached 4.6, making bleaching likely.  We  
encourage you to submit reports on the conditions of corals to the  
NOAA-ReefBase bleaching form (below).


According to our past data,  some bleaching is likely at DHW values  
of 4 or above and large-scale bleaching and some mortality is likely  
above 8. We encourage researchers in these regions to watch out for  
signs of bleaching.

Current HotSpot and Degree Heating Week charts can be found at:  
http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/index.html
Improved time series graphics for index sites can be found at http:// 
coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/current/sstdhwsba_series_24reefs.html
You can sign up for automated bleaching alerts at http:// 
coralreefwatch-satops.noaa.gov/SBA.html

Please continue reporting bleaching events (or non-events) at http:// 
www.reefbase.org/input/bleachingreport/index.asp


Regards,
Mark

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
------------------------
C. Mark Eakin, Ph.D.
Coordinator, NOAA Coral Reef Watch
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Center for Satellite Applications and Research
Satellite Oceanography & Climate Division
e-mail: mark.eakin at noaa.gov
url: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

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Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226
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