[Coral-List] Caribbean coral bleaching, 2023

[Judith Lang]

Hi John and Gretchen,

We just wanted to reach out to let you know that AGRRA  hosts a Caribbean wide Coral Bleach Watch database and interactive, visual Tracking Map to help collate data and facilitate information sharing in the region (www.agrra.org/coral-bleaching <http://www.agrra.org/coral-bleaching>). As with our other tracking maps, we collaborate with similar programs in Florida and the USVI to share and display their bleaching data. AGRRA’s map helps provide real-time bleaching information and, as in the past, data are shared with the NOAA Coral Reef Watch staff to help ground truth their bleaching stress models. If you are interested in learning more, please let us know. 

Also in response to this year’s’ continued heating, on September 11th we hosted an emergency webinar for the SCTLD Caribbean Coordination Team to discuss the bleaching status of corals regionally and describe response measures to reduce the impacts of excessive heat and/or light stress of corals on reefs or in nurseries (webinar link- https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7KlCuBXSrHw).
 
As the effects of this year’s stress event will be long-lasting, we look forward to sharing updates and lessons learned on response efforts. 

Best wishes to all,

Judy and Patricia

Judith C Lang
AGRRA Science Director

Patricia R Kramer
AGRRA Program Director

www.agrra.com <http://www.agrra.com/>

> On 22 Sep 2023, at 13:54, Bruno, John via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> 
> Dear fellow coral reef scientists,
> 
> We all know that the unprecedented ocean temperatures this summer are causing mass bleaching across the Caribbean. We are coordinating the development of a regional database to quantify this event and we're writing to invite you all to participate. 
> 
> Anybody (including students, practitioners, managers, NGO peeps, etc.) able to survey a Caribbean reef (bleached or not) OR coral nursery can contribute data and be a collaborator (i.e., co-author). 
> 
> We created a simple Google form where you will answer some basic questions (e.g., name, location, site characteristics) and enter the results of your observations (e.g., the % of colonies bleached). It should not take you more than five minutes. 
> 
> Link to the form to add your data:  https://forms.gle/6TceCbMKwkTdhGTE7
> 
> Sincerely, 
> 
> John and Gretchen
> 
> John Bruno
> Professor, Dept of Biology
> UNC Chapel Hill
> 
> Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley, PhD
> Director of Research, Distinguished Scientist
> Central Caribbean Marine Institute
> Cayman Islands
> 
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