Record-high seawater temperatures and calm seas in the summer of 2005 led to the most severe coral bleaching (greater than 90 percent bleached coral cover) ever observed in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) (figs. 1 and 2). All but a few coral species bleached, including the threatened species, Acropora palmata. Bleaching was seen from the surface to depths over 20 meters.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Title | Coral Diseases Following Massive Bleaching in 2005 Cause 60 Percent Decline in Coral Cover and Mortality of the Threatened Species, Acropora Palmata, on Reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands |
| DOI | 10.3133/fs20083058 |
| Authors | Caroline S. Rogers |
| Publication Type | Report |
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Series Title | Fact Sheet |
| Series Number | 2008-3058 |
| Index ID | fs20083058 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Caribbean Field Station; Florida Integrated Science Center |