Findings from the 2010 Singapore coral bleaching event

Some good news from the mass coral bleaching on Singapore reefs in 2010, not only about Singapore reefs but globally!

Mass bleaching seen in June 2010
on a submerged reef off Pulau Semakau

In a recent paper, James Guest found that corals in Singapore and Malaysia that previously experienced severe bleaching in 1998, unexpectedly survived the 2010 event! The paper provides solid field evidence that certain corals in Singapore and Malaysia can cope with higher water temperatures.

Thai dive sites may be closed due to coral bleaching

Coral bleaching has damaged Thailand's Andaman Sea reefs more severely than the 2004 tsunami, said the Thai National Parks Director.

Bleaching corals
from the The Bangkok Post 8 May 10;

The Director of Research, National Parks, Thailand, Dr Songtam Suksawang, said 93.6% of coral at Surin, the Similans, Phi Phi, Racha and Phuket are dead. The coral bleaching rates by site are: Surin Island, 99.9%; Thachai Island 84%; Surin South 85%; Similan Island 89.3%. The species affected are the Staghorn, Ring, Double Star and Mountain coral

"Worst coral die-off seen since 1998" due to coral bleaching

"Certainly the worst coral die-off seen since 1998. It may prove to be the worst such event known to science," says the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies about the recent coral bleaching.

Bleaching at Cyrene Reef in Jun 2010, photo by Marcus Ng
shared on the Bleach Watch Singapore flickr group

Many reefs are dead or dying across the Indian Ocean and into the Coral Triangle following a bleaching event that extends from the Seychelles in the west to Sulawesi and the Philippines in the east and include reefs in Sri Lanka, Burma Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and many sites in western and eastern Indonesia.