[Coral-List] Observations of current bleaching impacts in Pacific Islands

[Charles Delbeek]

I recently returned from 14 days of diving in the Mbini area of Luzon in
the Philippines as part of deep diving expedition. Water temps were around
84 oF at the surface and 69-72 at 250-350 ft. We did not see any signs of
coral bleaching at four different sites.


*J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc. *Assistant Curator, Steinhart Aquarium
California Academy of Sciences

Desk: 415.379.5303
Fax: 415.379.5304


*cdelbeek at calacademy.org <cdelbeek at calacademy.org> *www.calacademy.org

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Golden Gate Park

San Francisco CA 94118



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On Tue, May 3, 2016 at 3:04 PM, arthur <webbarthur at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello Coral-List,
>
> Like everyone here I've watched with great concern as the current
> bleaching event has unfolded. Reading the reviews out of NOAA (thanks so
> much for the excellent information and services you continue to provide)
> and reading the survey updates from our colleagues working in the Great
> Barrier Reef leaves me wondering how widespread and bad things are in my
> "back-yard", the Pacific Islands region (I'm based in Tarawa). From what
> I can tell it seems to have affected countries mostly near and north of
> the equator but there is so little quantitative data or information on
> spatial extent and severity of impacts I'm unsure if this is correct? In
> many cases it's only possible to assume the extent and level of impacts
> based on remotely sensed SST data.
>
> Questions of reef system function, persistence and productivity are for
> us pivotal to the very survival of whole communities, ways of life and
> indeed the persistence of many of our islands as habitable environments.
> I'm trying to gather quantitative information regarding observations
> from the Pacific region on the current event? I've read some material
> from the Hawaiian group, Marshall Islands and Guam but much is anecdotal
> or stories in the popular media, etc. All up I'm struggling to find
> sound quantitative studies for the Pacific Islands.
>
> Can anyone highlight studies or research in the region regarding the
> current event, any information or pointers would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Arthur
> __________________________________________
>
> Dr Arthur Webb
> Senior Fellow - ANCORS
> University of Wollongong
>
> webbarthur at gmail.com
> http://ancors.uow.edu.au/index.html
>
>
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