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Coral bleaching risk assessment

icon29 March 2024
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Risk level on coral bleaching induced by water temperature

The Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, assesses risk on coral bleaching induced by water temperature that causes thermal stress daily by using 30-day daily sea surface temperature from the GHRSST Level 4 OSTIA Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis dataset (UK Met Office, 2005) which was produced by the Meteorological Office of the United Kingdom (UK Met Office) and provided publictly through Physical Oceanography Distributed Archive Center (PODAAC)We then calculate Bleaching Alert Area (BAA) index developed by the MCRRDI based on our observations and bleaching records in Andaman Sea to predict possibility for the coral reef to be affected by warming water (table 1)

 

Table 1 Risk levels and associated impact on coral reef

Color   Risk levels Likely impacts
    Watching 1 Coral may stressed by water temperature
    Watching 2 Coral may get more stress 
    Alert 1 Paling color on coral might be observed
    Alert 2 Paling color becomes clearer
    Bleaching 1 Coral might start bleaching
    Bleaching 2 Mass bleaching probably observed
 

 

The criteria was developed based on observations and records in Andaman Sea, then local sensitivity was not included in the consideration and still in need for improvement. Thus, by informing coral bleaching events, it would significantly contribute to our improvement for risk assessment on coral bleaching locally.

 

Hot Spot

(Defined as area where current sea surface temperature exceeds 3-month averaged sea surface temperature (March-May) by 0.8 degree celcius) 

 

Source: The Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources