Local bleaching thresholds established by remote sensing techniques vary among reefs with deviating bleaching patterns during the 2012 event in the Arabian/Persian Gulf. Issue 2 (30th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shuail, Dawood; Wiedenmann, Jörg; D'Angelo, Cecilia; Baird, Andrew H.; Pratchett, Morgan S.; Riegl, Bernhard; Burt, John A.; Petrov, Peter; Amos, Carl
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 105:Issue 2(2016:Apr.)
• Page Start: 654
• Page End: 659
• Publication Date: 2016-04-30
• Subjects: Coral bleaching -- Threshold temperature -- Extreme environment -- Coral reefs -- Zooxanthellae -- Symbiodinium -- Global change; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.03.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: A severe bleaching event affected coral communities off the coast of Abu Dhabi, UAE in August/September, 2012. In Saadiyat and Ras Ghanada reefs ~ 40% of the corals showed signs of bleaching. In contrast, only 15% of the corals were affected on Delma reef. Bleaching threshold temperatures for these sites were established using remotely sensed sea surface temperature (SST) data recorded by MODIS-Aqua. The calculated threshold temperatures varied between locations (34.48 °C, 34.55 °C, 35.05 °C), resulting in site-specific deviations in the numbers of days during which these thresholds were exceeded. Hence, the less severe bleaching of Delma reef might be explained by the lower relative heat stress experienced by this coral community. However, the dominance of Porites spp. that is associated with the long-term exposure of Delma reef to elevated temperatures, as well as the more pristine setting may have additionally contributed to the higher coral bleaching threshold for this site. Highlights: Reconstruction of sea surface temperature profiles in the world's hottest coral reefs using remote sensing analysis. Temperature history helps to explain site-specific bleaching patterns in the Persian / Arabian Gulf. Highest bleaching threshold of ~ 35°C is determined for a Porites -dominated site.