[Coral-List] Solomon Islands Reef Status

Alan E Strong Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
Mon Oct 29 10:45:34 EDT 2007


Thanks for this report, Charles -- Any hints of disease in the Solomon 
corals??

 From our collated observations here at Coral Reef Watch over the past 
several decades....substantiated by a few notes from  locals...this 
appears to be one region  [of few!] across the planet that has escaped 
any major bleaching events to date.

Cheers,
Al

Charles Delbeek said the following on 10/28/2007 8:42 PM:
> In light of recent reports of coral bleaching and coral diseases in 
> various locales I thought a little good news might be welcomed.
>
> I recently returned from 12 days of diving in the Solomon Islands 
> (Russell Islands, Mari Island, eastern Morovo Lagoon and the Arnavon 
> Islands) and can report that the corals on these reefs (primarily 
> Acropora, Isopora and Porites dominated) appeared very healthy and 
> vibrant. Some on the trip have been diving these reefs for over 15 years 
> and have seen several bleached and storm damaged over that period. Those 
> reefs that were revisited on this trip showed significant recovery over 
> the last 10 years to the point where it was hard to see any hint of the 
> damage they suffered. In one case, a large head of Isopora that appeared 
> completely dead ~10 years ago has successfully regrown its old skeleton 
> with new growth and added new branches.
>
> It appears that, at least in this case, some types of coral reefs can 
> recover, given the proper conditions, from seemingly drastic insults.
>
> Aloha!
>
>   

-- 
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* 
Alan E. Strong, Ph.D.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch, Senior Consultant
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
  e-mail: Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
url: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

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