Severe coral bleaching threatens popular Phi Phi dive spots

PHUKET: -- Coral bleaching is rife in Phi Phi national park – the worst ever recorded in Thailand – alarmed conservation officials reported yesterday.

Many varieties of coral have been affected by the bleaching, which is due to the sea temperature rising to between 31 to 35 degrees Celsius, said an official from the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).

Staghorn coral, lesser coral, mushroom coral, cauliflower coral, and hump coral are all being affected by the bleaching, which is far worse than observed in 2010, said Tikamporn Wongtawatchai, a specialist from Marine National Park and Protected Areas Innovation Center (MNIPC).

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-- Phuket Gazette 2016-05-19

I saw the same looking, dead coral in the Philippines recently and the water there was cooler than here. It isn't just water temperature, it's pollution as well. We're losing coral for a variety of reasons, all made worse by man. I don't expect much coral to be still around in the years to come.

"You don't know what you got, till it's gone..."

They have the same problem of coral bleaching on the great Barrier reef in Australia.

The zooxanthellae are single-celled planktonic algae.
They live in symbiosis with the coral polyps.
During the day, they provide their host with the organic carbon products of photosynthesis, sometimes providing up to 90% of their host's energy needs for metabolism, growth and reproduction.

In return, they receive nutrients, carbon dioxide, and an elevated position with access to sunshine.

Temperature is crucial for their wellbeing and the highest temperature they support is 30 degrees Celsius.

If the temperature rises above the 32 degrees for a longer period, the algae will leave their host to find cooler environment.

Considering the benefits the coral polyps receive from them it is obvious, that the coral colony will bleach and the polyps will die once the zooxanthellae have left them.

This is the reason for a "sudden" bleaching period.
Obviously pollution, acidification of the waters enhances and speeds up dramatically the process.

(10 years of reef monitoring & research)

The zooxanthellae are single-celled planktonic algae.

They live in symbiosis with the coral polyps.

During the day, they provide their host with the organic carbon products of photosynthesis, sometimes providing up to 90% of their host's energy needs for metabolism, growth and reproduction.

In return, they receive nutrients, carbon dioxide, and an elevated position with access to sunshine.

Temperature is crucial for their wellbeing and the highest temperature they support is 30 degrees Celsius.

If the temperature rises above the 32 degrees for a longer period, the algae will leave their host to find cooler environment.

Considering the benefits the coral polyps receive from them it is obvious, that the coral colony will bleach and the polyps will die once the zooxanthellae have left them.

This is the reason for a "sudden" bleaching period.

Obviously pollution, acidification of the waters enhances and speeds up dramatically the process.

(10 years of reef monitoring & research)

Have to agree with the temperature effect, it is not only happening in Phi Phi of course but overall.

I have noticed this getting worse for the last couple of months on the dive sites in and around Pattaya/Samaesan.

I am not so sure about the pollution acidification dramatically speeding this up.

We have the same levels of both around here for years yet it is the first time we are experiencing this level of bleaching.

On a similar thread I mentioned that during the so called dry/cool season the temperature didn't drop much at all which is very unusual. Coupled to that of course is the ridiculously high temperatures of the last few months, water temp varies from 31 - 33 depending on the site. Too high for the algae as you rightly point out.

Most of this is irreversible, dead is dead. A real worry for the future.

I am wondering which sites they're talking about. The main divesites have not seen high temperatures, nothing above 31 yet.

The photo shows the real killer.

The weed that is enveloping the coral.