2010/03/26 by Daniel Wagner, Philip Kramer, Robert van Woesik · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Marine and fisheries research #Marine and coastal plant biology
paper · pdf · doi:10.3354/meps08584
openalex publication_date 2010/03/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 408:65-78 (2010) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08584 Species composition, habitat, and water quality influence coral bleaching in southern Florida Daniel E. Wagner1,*, Philip Kramer2, Robert van Woesik1 1Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Blvd, Melbourne, Florida 32901, USA 2The Nature Conservancy, Florida Keys Office, PO Box 420237, Summerland Key, Florida 33042, USA *Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT: The present study examines coral bleaching along the Florida Keys reef tract (USA) during a major thermal-stress event in the summer of 2005, and during the summers of 2006 and 2007, which were mild thermal stress years. The primary objectives were to (1) examine the spatial pattern of coral bleaching and its relationship to coral community composition and habitat and (2) determine the relationship between environmental parameters and coral-bleaching prevalence (i.e. the proportion of colonies that bleached within each population). Over 50% of all coral species bleached along much of the reef tract in 2005. The Lower Keys supported more colonies per unit area than elsewhere and showed the highest number of bleached coral colonies; Biscayne and the Middle Keys showed the highest coral-bleaching prevalence. The most thermally sensitive corals were Porites furcata, Millepora complanata, Siderastrea radians, Porites divaricata, Agaricia agaricites, Millepora alcicornis, and Porites porites. The most extensive bleaching was recorded for large colonies, ≥30 cm, except in 2005 when small branching Porites colonies (<30 cm) showed higher bleaching prevalence. Shallow-water coral colonies and corals at localities with high productivity, in the form of chlorophyll a and dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentration, showed higher bleaching prevalence than both deep coral colonies and corals at localities with low productivity. By locally regulating waste-water discharge from the land, and thereby reducing local primary productivity, the severity of coral bleaching may be reduced when subjected to high regional water temperatures. KEY WORDS:Bleaching · Temperatures · Corals · Coral reefs · Nutrients · Florida Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Wagner DE, Kramer P, van Woesik R (2010) Species composition, habitat, and water quality influence coral bleaching in southern Florida. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 408:65-78. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08584 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 408. Online publication date: June 03, 2010 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2010 Inter-Research.