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Octocoral bleaching during unusual thermal stress

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Abstract

We describe a bleaching event in octocoral communities at four reefs in southwest Puerto Rico during October 2005 following a period of elevated sea surface temperatures. Percentages of colonies bleached varied among taxa, ranging from 0% for Pseudopterogorgia, Eunicea and Gorgonia to over 90% for Muricea. Other taxa exhibiting bleaching included Pseudoplexaura (22.3%), Muriceopsis (36.6%), Briareum (46.1%), Plexaurella (69.6%) and Pterogorgia (84.5%).

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Acknowledgments

We thank A. Mercado, K. Flynn, D. Beltrán, and E. McLean during field surveys. K. Flynn helped with the G-test comparisons. Comments from M. Hellberg and N. V. Schizas improved the manuscript. C.Prada thanks C. Montoya for her unconditional support. Funds for this study came from the Sea Grant program (Grant 535480) of the UPRM through the “Restoration of Gorgonian populations project” and the Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies from NOAA-CRES grant NA 17OP2919 awarded to PMY.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, USA

    C. Prada

  2. Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR, USA

    E. Weil & P. M. Yoshioka

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  1. C. Prada
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  2. E. Weil
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  3. P. M. Yoshioka
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Correspondence to C. Prada.

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Communicated by Biology Editor Dr. Clay Cook.

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Prada, C., Weil, E. & Yoshioka, P.M. Octocoral bleaching during unusual thermal stress. Coral Reefs 29, 41–45 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-009-0547-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-009-0547-z

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