Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CORAL BLEACHING
The record-high temperatures of water across the Caribbean are killing beneficial
types of algae that corals depend on symbiotically to survive, which results in the
process called 'bleaching'. Specifically, the algae is the source of the coral's color, so
when it leaves, the coral becomes white. And while coral can survive the bleaching
itself, it becomes vulnerable to disease and predators afterward.
The Virgin Islands experienced a particularly hot period in 2005 that wiped out
about half of its coral colonies. The marine sanctuary at Buck Island National Reef
Monument, offshore from St Croix, was particularly hard hit.
In 2010 local waters again started to warm to dangerous levels, until Hurricane
Earl blew through and cooled down the temperature. While environmentalists are
helpless to stop the bleaching process, they do have action plans in place to study it
and learn from coral's adaptive abilities.
