Bleaching Threatens Caribbean Coral Reefs

ap on Yahoo ^ | 11/02/05 | Jonathan Ewing - ap

[NormsRevenge]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Unusually warm waters are bleaching coral reefs throughout the Caribbean, raising fears of a die-off of the important organisms, scientists and environmentalists said Wednesday.

Ocean temperatures have been slowly rising, threatening sea coral that can only live within a narrow temperature band, according to the experts. A slight increase in temperature can induce coral bleaching and eventually kill the coral.

Recent data gathered by the University of Puerto Rico shows that up to 95 percent of coral colonies off the island have had some bleaching.

"The concern is that we may be witnessing a massive die-off. Reports from Vieques (Puerto Rico), Barbados and many other Caribbean islands is grim," said Mary Ann Lucking, director of the Puerto-Rico-based conservation group Coralations.

The bleaching occurs when the microscopic plants, or zooxanthellae, which live in coral tissue stop working. The zooxanthellae provide corals with color and food.

Scientists say without them, corals usually die.

Worldwide, coral reefs cover about 110,000 square miles, less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the world's oceans. But they support more than 1 million species of marine life, sustain tourism industries and provide food for islanders throughout the tropics.

Since March, the northeast Caribbean has had higher than normal sea surface temperatures. The trade winds, which usually help cool the sea, were also not as strong as they have been in the past.

Prior to the 1980s, coral bleaching events were isolated and appeared to be the result of short-term events such as storms or pollution.

But in the past 20 years bleaching has become more common.

"This is probably the most severe bleaching event that Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands has ever recorded," said Andy Bruckner, a scientist with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The bleaching process can begin when temperatures are as little as one or two degrees above 86F for an extended period of time.

Scientists in Puerto Rico say temperatures have been two degrees above normal since September, typically Puerto Rico's warmest month.

"We're seeing species of coral that have never been effected by bleaching now suffering a high mortality," Lucking said.

Some colonies of coral in the Caribbean, which include up to 42 species of the animal, have become completely white, according to University of Puerto Rico marine biologist Edwin Hernandez. Reefs off the island-nation of Grenada are also bleached with up to 70 percent of colonies suffering some impact.

"The threat from this is enormous, we may be losing an incredible resource," said Hernandez.

[Keith in Iowa]

2 observations:

The enviorwhackos are going to go into a tizzy about this.

Several years from now, research will reveal this is a cycle that's been going on since the planet came into being, and there's not one damn thing humans did to cause it, or could do to keep it from happening.

[JRios1968]

Puerto Rico PING!!!

[Mike Darancette]

Unusually warm waters are bleaching coral reefs throughout the Caribbean, raising fears of a die-off of the important organisms, scientists and environmentalists said Wednesday

Univ of Cal is lowering it's science requirements for the Environmental Studies major.

[FreedomCalls]

"The threat from this is enormous, we may be losing an incredible resource," said Hernandez.

What "incredible resource"? I can't think of a single product or substance that comes from is is derived from something that comes from coral reefs.

[DTogo]

Use Oxy-clean instead!

[FreedomCalls]

The AP wrote this?

"We're seeing species of coral that have never been effected by bleaching now suffering a high mortality," Lucking said.

That should be "affected."

/grammar nazi

[Paleo Conservative]

[RIGHT IN LAS VEGAS]

I thought it was a model hair thing

[ByDesign]

"What "incredible resource"? I can't think of a single product or substance that comes from is is derived from something that comes from coral reefs."

None that i can think of (other than reefs being large, natural filters for sea water, they help keep the local water clean), but having kept salt water reef tanks, and diving real reefs, I can say reefs and the animals that live in them are some of the most beautiful things on the face of the planet, the sheer number, complexity and diversity is mind boggling, and the interaction of the organisms is fascinating. The colors alone can make you speechless.

It never failed to astound me how my clown fish would feed it's anenome, and protect it. Or how some shrimp set up cleaning stations on the reef, and clean passing fish. Or watching seahorses "salk" their prey (brine shrimp) in a slow, methodical way. Tending live corals, polyps, fish, crabs, sponges, Xmas tree rock, it was fascinating, rewarding and always interesting.

They may not have a commerical use, but they're beautiful gifts from God, and that's reason enough to care. We can't do anything about it, but we might be able to help by seeding new reefs and raising the corals and organisms commercially, to be transplanted later. Istopped keeping reef tanks when i found out what the harvesters were doing to reefs collecting samples to sell.

You don't have to be liberal to not want the reefs to die, and everything doesn't have to have a pricetag.

[FreedomCalls]

You don't have to be liberal to not want the reefs to die, and everything doesn't have to have a pricetag.

I'm not saying that's the only criteria. I don't want to lose them either. I just had to argue with the use of the word "resource." Had he said "incredible gift from God" or something like that I wouldn't even have commented. It's the misuse of the word I was pointing out, as I did with the misuse of "effect."

/grammar nazi

[The Red Zone]

How about some kind of artificial intervention by pumping colder water, found at the sea floor, up to the level of the coral?

[Prodigal Son]

They may not have a commerical use, but they're beautiful gifts from God, and that's reason enough to care.

Absolutely! Amen! We spend billions on NASA so they can explore other worlds and people think it's money well spent. You want to see another world- you don't need a rocket. Just strap on a tank, mask and fins and drop down on a nice reef. It's like visiting another world. The amount and diversity of creatures is simply stunning. A good reef is a work of art and definitely a resource worth caring about.

[cll]

"What "incredible resource"? I can't think of a single product or substance that comes from is is derived from something that comes from coral reefs."

What about...food? Also, reefs are a great tourist attraction.

[reformedliberal]

As a diver I agree about the reefs. However, I have heard this same claim over and over for 20 years. Then, I go diving and see thriving corals right next to the bleached ones. Go back 6 months later, and some of the bleached corals have repopulated.

The Caribbean is shallow and warm. In many of the best areas, like Bonaire, the desert islands have limited runoff, which is what keeps the viz so great. Storm surge can hurt the shallower corals, just like months of intense sunlight can.

I have been told over and over by local dive masters that the bleaching is not only a natural cycle, it is dependent on the depth of the coral. Get down to 50 feet and you see less of it.

Some of the shallowest reefs I have seen are in the Coral Sea. You don't even have to dive because they are right up there almost on the surface. Stick your head just under the water and you are surrounded by living reef. Why do I rarely hear about these corals bleaching? These are some of the most visited reefs in the world, because they are accessible w/o scuba equipment. So, they have human impact and predation by Crown-Of-Thorns, shallow waters and intense sunlight.

Just curious.

[Hardastarboard]

/grammar nazi

I am the grammar Nazi! I am the grammar Nazi! And if you think you can turn me off with a simple HTML switch, you're sadly mistaken!

[Beagle8U]

I'm quite sure that the enviro-twits mean well with their alarm over coral bleaching ( means dead coral), but this is just a natural cycle that has gone on for years.

When I lived in Fla. in the late 50's there were some of the reefs that were mostly white, and some that were many colored.
We fished in the gulf of Mexico off many of the reefs and its just a natural cycle. Coral dies and in time new coral will grow on the same damn reef.
Its no different that trees dieing in a forest, its happened since the dawn of time.

[ByDesign]

"I'm not saying that's the only criteria. I don't want to lose them either. I just had to argue with the use of the word "resource." Had he said "incredible gift from God" or something like that I wouldn't even have commented. It's the misuse of the word I was pointing out, as I did with the misuse of "effect.""

Oh.

Then nevermind! :)