Monthly Archives: July 2010

There have also been some updates on the coral ID pages. Carmabi compiled a series of pictures that show combinations of corals that are often mistaken  for one another. Because terminology to describe each species is often  subjective (i.e. has larger polyps or smaller ridges) having both  species in one picture might help to get a better idea of how such  closely related/ similar looking “species” can be distinguished from one  another. Corals are now divided in four main groups (Montastraea, Agaricidae, Brain-looking corals and the Rest). All  identifications are based on commonly used species names here on  Curacao. This overview is a work in progress (and I welcome suggestions on how to shape this picture collection into a more user-friendly format), but I thought it would be useful to throw it out as it is.

The following links take you directly to each  group:

For Montastraea:  click here
For Agaricidae:  click here
For  “Brain”corals:  click here
For  “The Rest”:  click here

Temperatures continue to look bad for the Caribbean in 2010. At this point, our Degree Heating Week product is as bad as, or worse than, this time in 2005. Our Seasonal Bleaching  Outlook indicates there continues to be a risk of thermal stress in 2010 at levels similar to 2005. The good news is that areas north of the Greater Antilles and in the Gulf of Mexico do  not seem to be at as high a risk. Temperatures in the Caribbean have been above normal since January. Bleaching reports have now come in from Texas in the north to Panama in the west, to Tobago in the southeast.

My biggest concern right now is in the Lesser Antilles and especially in the Aruba-Curacao-Bonaire-Los Roques region where we are seeing the highest temperatures ever and this is likely to continue for another month. The ABCs were spared major thermal stress in 2005 but don’t look so lucky this year.

A webinar on this topic was recorded and can be accessed in the “events” tab at http://www.reefresilience.org/
The full outlook can be found at http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/bleachingoutlook/index.html and will be updated to October shortly.

An article on this also made the cover of the New York Times on Sept. 21:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/science/earth/21coral.html?_r=1&hp

Please make sure this information gets distributed widely.  We need people to be aware that they should continue to be alert for bleaching in the Caribbean for another month. Please let us know what you are seeing out there.

Source: NOAA (Dr. Mark Eakin)

Some impressions from Curacao’s reefs near the eastern tip of the island (Oostpunt). The “whitish” colonies are the ones that are “bleached”

We invite you to join us in exploring coral reefs – some of the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. Follow us as we travel to untouched parts of the globe to conduct scientific research aimed at protecting these special places. Read our blog to hear about our adventures in the field.  Browse photos and video from our expeditions and take a step into an underwater world.  Check out our lively book, Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas for the big picture of how coral reefs work, including the decisive role of microbes in reef health and decline.

For more information, click here to visit the website of coralreef systems.