Coral bleaching

During the course of coral monitoring work in August 2013, we observed coral bleaching on the reef flat in front of Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium and Bise district. Slight bleaching often occurs in summer, because water temperature easily raises in shallow tide pools. However, the extent of bleaching was much severe than those in the past. Many coral colonies were completely bleached and turned white. Corals that had been observed to suffer bleaching were: Pocillopora, Montipora, Acropora, Asteopora, Pavona, Porites, Gardineroseris, Symphyllia, Dipsastraea, Chyphastrea, and Millepora. Of these corals, up to 50% of all surveyed colonies were bleached.

Bleached Montipora colonies@Bleached Porites colonies @Bleached Acropora colonies

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