NOAA PRESS RELEASE NOAA 98-022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 14, 1998 EL NINO CAUSING CORAL BLEACHING IN PANAMA El Nino's warm waters in the Pacific Ocean have caused coral bleaching in the waters off the Pacific coast of Panama, according to a team of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Marine Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami. Panama is the tenth site reported to experience coral bleaching related to El Nino. Warmer than normal sea surface temperatures are continuing along the Panama coast. El Nino forecasts from NOAA's National Center for Environmental Prediction call for the warmer tan normal temperatures to continue into the summer. Scientists on a recent research cruise to islands in Panama's Gulf of Chiriqui region observed bleaching in almost all species of corals present. In observations at six sites, 50% to almost 90% of corals had experienced at least partial bleaching. This indicates that a second wave of bleaching has followed earlier bleaching seen to begin in September of 1997. Fortunately for the corals, bleaching in Panama has been much less intense than was seen in 1983. Sea surface temperatures in the area are currently 29 to 31 degrees Celsius, nearly a degree and a half warmer than what is normally observed at that site. Data from temperature monitors on the reefs indicate that elevated temperatures have existed periodically since mid-summer 1997. These agree with observations from NOAA satellite and blended sea surface temperature data and predictions of bleaching released in June 1997. The recent observations and temperature monitoring have been supported by awards from the National Science Foundation and conducted in cooperation with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Corals from the Pacific coast of Panama thrive as long as temperatures remain at or below 29 degrees Celsius -- the normal maximum sea surface temperature at this site. An increase of one or two degrees above the usual maximum temperatures can be deadly to these animals. The temperature range for corals to thrive varies from site to site by only a few degrees. Corals from the nearby Gulf of Panama showed much less evidence of bleaching. Coral reefs -- the "rainforests of the oceans" -- support a variety of sea life and provide resources of significant economic importance such as fishing and recreation. Coral bleaching, induced by high water temperatures, has raised concerns about these fragile ecosystems. Coral bleaching occurs as coral tissue expels zooxanthellae, algae that reside within the coral, and are essential to the coral's survival. Corals normally recover, unless high ocean temperatures persist for too long a period or become too warm. During the 1997-98 El Nino, NOAA has also received reports of coral bleaching at sites in the Great Barrier Reef, French Polynesia, Kenya, Galapagos Islands, Florida Keys, Baja California, the Yucatan coast, Cayman Islands, and the Netherland Antilles. Video animations of coral reef Hot Spots and sea surface temperatures are available on the World Wide Web at: http://manati.wwb.noaa.gov/orad Images of sea surface temperatures and anomalies for this region can be found at: http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/misc/coral/oisst/ Predictions of bleaching in response to this El Nino were raised as early as last summer. See 1997 EL NINO A POTENTIAL THREAT TO CORAL REEFS at: http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/iyorwk26.html