Kenya Coast Bleaching
astrong at nesdis.noaa.gov
astrong at nesdis.noaa.gov
Thu Apr 2 13:15:35 EST 1998
Do not believe this info has yet been posted here:
AES
<---- Begin Forwarded Message ---->
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 1956 20:49:11 +0000
From: David Obura <dobura at africaonline.co.ke>
Reply-To: dobura at africaonline.co.ke
To: astrong at nesdis.noaa.gov
Subject: Re: HotSpots -- Tahiti area
Following my message of a few weeks saying there was as yet no coral
bleaching in Kenya, it has now started!
I'll send slightly more comprehensive description shortly, but the two
areas so far seen show the following conditions, with water temperatures
over 32 C, probably for at least 2 weeks. The northern area apparently
has greater bleaching, perhaps due to its normally cooler waters under the
influence of the Somali system upwelling.
Mombasa area - bleaching of individual colonies (Porites, Acropora,
Pocillopora, Stylophora, Goniopora) and some patchy mortality in Porites
nigrescens, but all in shallow (0-2 m) lagoon patch reefs, ie. where
water is stable and well-heated for 3-4 hours a day. A quick survey in
deeper water apparently showed no bleaching.
Lamu-Kiunga area (at the Somali border, approx. 80 km of coastline) -
extensive bleaching of large stands of Acropora and Porites in shallow
water, with bleaching of Pocillopora, Stylophora, Echinopora, Millepora,
Montipora, faviids ... you name it. In some shallow patch reefs over half
the coral colonies are bleached, and individual colony bleaching was
common to 15 m on outer reef ledges, in particular Montipora and
Pocillopora. However, litle mortality evident, only a few sheltered corals,
again, Porites nigrescens.
--
David Obura
Coral Reef Conservation Project
P.O.BOX 99470, Mombasa, Kenya
Tel: (0254-11) 485570, Fax: 487525
Email: dobura at africaonline.co.ke
<---- End Forwarded Message ---->
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *****
Alan E. Strong
More information about the Coral-list-old
mailing list