1998 Bleaching: NOAA Press Release
astrong at nesdis.noaa.gov
astrong at nesdis.noaa.gov
Fri Oct 23 09:44:25 EDT 1998
RECORD-BREAKING CORAL BLEACHING
OCCURRED IN TROPICS THIS YEAR, NOAA REPORTS
Unprecedented coral bleaching and extremely warm waters occurred throughout
the Tropics during the first half of 1998, the Commerce Department's National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today.
Coral reefs -- the "rainforests of the sea" are some of the oldest and
most biologically diverse ecosystems on earth. Important assets to local and
national economies, they produce fisheries for food, materials for new
medicines, and income from tourism and recreation, as well as protect coastal
communities from storms.
"Coral bleaching is a sign that reefs are under severe stress and may be
seriously damaged," said NOAA Administrator D. James Baker. "With 1998 named
the Year of the Ocean, it is appropriate that we focus our attention on these
extremely important and fragile coral reef ecosystems."
Corals thrive as long as temperatures remain at or below certain
temperatures for a given site. An increase of one or two degrees above the usual
maximum temperatures can be deadly to these animals. The temperature range for
corals to thrive varies from site to site by only a few degrees. While many
corals normally recover from short bleaching events, long-term or frequent
bleaching may severely weaken the corals leaving them more vulnerable to
disease, damage or death.
Data from NOAA's satellites show that during the first half of 1998, more
ocean area in the tropics experienced exceptionally high sea surface
temperatures, or "hot spots," than observed in any full year since 1982.
Approximately 50 countries have reported coral bleaching since 1997. During
the El Niño of 1982-83, large areas of coral reef around the world were severely
damaged by high water temperatures associated with coral bleaching. The
previous annual record for high ocean temperature events was in 1988, which also
followed an El Niño event the year before.
Using satellites to measure sea surface temperatures and identify hot
spots, NOAA has been able to predict coral reef bleaching events in real time
over large ocean areas since 1997, reports NOAA oceanographer Al Strong. Hot
spots are identified when satellite-derived sea surface temperatures exceed by
1.0 degree Celsius the monthly average temperature expected during the warm
season.
Coral bleaching can be a sign that the coral is being stressed by a number
of factors, including pollution, sedimentation or changes in salinity. Increases
in water temperature of one degree or more for one month often result in
extensive coral bleaching, making these hot spots prime candidates for bleaching
events.
From January to July the coral bleaching events were concentrated in the
Southern Hemisphere during its warm season. Since July, the reports of
extensive coral bleaching have spread into regions of the Northern Hemisphere
following abnormally high sea surface temperatures, especially around the
Philippines and throughout the Caribbean Basin, Bahamas, Bermuda and Florida
Keys.
With collaborators Ray Hayes of Howard University and Tom Goreau of the
Coral Reef Alliance, Strong is planning to summarize the year's coral bleaching
events in the December issue of Reef Encounters.
Bleaching and other problems facing coral reefs will be the topic of a
high-level government meeting in Key Biscayne, Fla., on Oct. 19 and 20. The
Coral Reef Task Force was created by an executive order signed June 11 by
President Clinton as part of the Year of the Ocean observance and the National
Ocean Conference held in Monterey, Calif., last June. The first meeting of the
task force will be hosted by the Commerce and Interior Departments.
###
Notes to Editors: Charts accompanying this release are available on the World
Wide Web at NOAA Public Affairs:
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/storyideas.html
Videotape animation of hot spots conducive to coral bleaching is available from
Video Transfer, Rockville, Md. Telephone: 301-881-0270.
Maps showing twice-weekly distributions of hot spots are available at:
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/climohot.html
Movie/animations are posted at:
http://manati.wwb.noaa.gov/orad
Maps showing the annual distribution of bleaching from 1969 through 1997 are
posted at: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~goreau
To subscribe to the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, go to:
http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov
October 15, 1998
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *****
Alan E. Strong
Phys Scientist/Oceanographer Adj Assoc Res Professor
NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 US Naval Academy
NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W Oceanography Department
5200 Auth Road Annapolis, MD 21402
Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 410-293-6550
Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8108
http://manati.wwb.noaa.gov/orad
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