Coral Monitoring Captures 2005 U.S. Virgin Islands Bleaching and Disease Mortality Event
South Florida/ Caribbean Network Inventory & Monitoring Program. 2006. Coral Monitoring Captures 2005 U.S. Virgin Islands Bleaching and Disease Mortality Event. National Park Service
In 2005, the National Park Service South Florida/ Caribbean Network (SFCN) of the Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program responded to one of the most devastating coral bleaching events on record in the Caribbean. SFCN scientists working in the US Virgin Islands noticed record-breaking water temperatures at reef depth in April 2005 and began observing some early coral species bleaching in July 2005. As a consequence, SFCN scientists increased their coral monitoring frequency during and after the bleaching event to capture the impacts on coral cover and disease. Diseased coral mortality combined with the bleaching of 75-90% of live coral resulted in a dramatic loss of live coral cover (23-48% of pre-bleaching levels).
- Type
- Poster
- Authors
- South Florida/ Caribbean Network Inventory & Monitoring Program
- Date of Issue
- 2006-05
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- SFCN
- Keywords
- Coral Reef Poster