May 30, 2017
Patterns of bleaching and mortality following widespread warming events in 2014 and 2015 at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Hawai‘i
by
,
PeerJ
- Determines the spatial extent of bleaching mortality in Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve (HBNP), O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
- Conducts surveys at HBNP in October 2015 and January 2016 that reveal extensive bleaching (47%) and high levels of coral mortality (9.8%)
- Finds that bleaching ranged from a low of ∼31% in the central bay at Channel (CH) to a high of 57% in the area most frequented by visitors (Keyhole; KH)
- Finds that the highest levels of bleaching occurred in two sectors with different circulation patterns:
- KH experienced comparatively low circulation velocity and a low temperature increase
- Witches Brew (WB) and Backdoors (BD) experienced higher circulation velocity and higher temperature increase
- Results show that high coral mortality occurred despite the lack of local factors that can lead to decline such as high fishing pressure or sedimentation
- In spite of visitor impacts being strikingly different in WB versus BD/KH, mortality rates were similar
- Concludes that elevated temperature was more influential in coral bleaching and the associated mortality than high circulation or visitor use