Lingering Pacific heat wave threatens Hawaii coral
Just four years after a major marine heat wave killed huge swaths of Hawaii’s fragile reefs, scientists are warning that a return of record-setting hot water in the Pacific will cause more widespread bleaching, and possibly coral death.
Section:Gallery
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In this Sept. 11, 2019 photo, a green sea turtle swims near coral in a bay on the west coast of the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. Just four years after a major marine heat wave killed nearly half of this coastline’s coral, federal researchers are predicting another round of hot water will cause some of the worst coral bleaching the region has ever seen.
Brian Skoloff Associated Press
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This Sept. 12, 2019 photo shows fish near coral in a bay on the west coast of the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. Just four years after a major marine heat wave killed nearly half of this coastline’s coral, federal researchers are predicting another round of hot water will cause some of the worst coral bleaching the region has ever seen.
Brian Skoloff Associated Press
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In this Sept. 13, 2019 image taken from video provided by Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, ecologist Greg Asner dives over a coral reef in Papa Bay near Captain Cook, Hawaii. "Nearly every species that we monitor has at least some bleaching," Asner said.
Greg Asner Arizona State University'S Center For Global Discovery And Conservation Science
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In this Sept. 16, 2019 photo, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oceanographer Jamison Gove talks about coral bleaching at the NOAA regional office in Honolulu. U.S. federal researchers in Hawaii say ocean temperatures around the archipelago are on track to match or even surpass records set in 2015, the hottest year on record for the Pacific Ocean. They predict that heat will cause some of the worst coral bleaching and mortality the region has ever seen.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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In this Sept. 13, 2019 photo, ecologist Greg Asner, the director of Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, reviews ocean temperature data at his lab on the west coast of the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. "Nearly every species that we monitor has at least some bleaching," said Asner after a dive in Papa Bay.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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In this Sept. 13, 2019 image taken from video provided by Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, ecologist Greg Asner dives over a coral reef in Papa Bay near Captain Cook, Hawaii. "Nearly every species that we monitor has at least some bleaching," Asner said.
Greg Asner Arizona State University'S Center For Global Discovery And Conservation Science
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In this Sept. 13, 2019, image taken from video provided by Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, ecologist Greg Asner prepares a camera fish trap on a coral reef in Papa Bay near Captain Cook, Hawaii. "Nearly every species that we monitor has at least some bleaching," Asner said.
Greg Asner Arizona State University'S Center For Global Discovery And Conservation Science
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This Sept. 12, 2019 photo shows bleaching coral in Kahala'u Bay in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Just four years after a major marine heat wave killed nearly half of this coastline’s coral, federal researchers are predicting another round of hot water will cause some of the worst coral bleaching the region has ever seen.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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In this Sept. 12, 2019 photo, fish swim near bleaching coral in Kahala'u Bay in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Coral reefs are vital around the world as they not only provide a habitat for fish _ the base of the marine food chain _ but food and medicine for humans. They also create an essential shoreline barrier that breaks apart large ocean swells and protects densely populated shorelines from storm surges during hurricanes.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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In this Sept. 13, 2019 image taken from video provided by Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, ecologist Greg Asner dives over a coral reef in Papa Bay near Captain Cook, Hawaii. "Nearly every species that we monitor has at least some bleaching," Asner said.
Greg Asner Arizona State University'S Center For Global Discovery And Conservation Science
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In this Sept. 12, 2019 photo, fish swim near bleaching coral in Kahala'u Bay in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Just four years after a major marine heat wave killed nearly half of this coastline’s coral, federal researchers are predicting another round of hot water will cause some of the worst coral bleaching the region has ever seen.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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This Sept. 13, 2019 photo shows a chunk of bleached, dead coral shown on a wall near a bay on the west coast of the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. Coral reefs are vital around the world as they not only provide a habitat for fish _ the base of the marine food chain _ but food and medicine for humans. They also create an essential shoreline barrier that breaks apart large ocean swells and protects densely populated shorelines from storm surges during hurricanes.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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In this Sept. 13, 2019 photo, researchers prepare to dive on a coral reef on the west coast of the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. One of the state's most vibrant coral reefs thrives just below the surface in a bay on the west coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Here, on a remote shoreline far from the impacts of sunscreen and throngs of tourists, scientists see the early signs of what’s expected to be a catastrophic season of coral bleaching in Hawaii. The ocean here is about three and a half degrees above normal for this time of year. Coral can recover from bleaching, but when it is exposed to heat over several years, the likelihood of survival decreases.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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In this Sept. 12, 2019 photo, sea urchins and fish are seen near bleaching coral in Kahala'u Bay in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Just four years after a major marine heat wave killed nearly half of this coastline’s coral, federal researchers are predicting another round of hot water will cause some of the worst coral bleaching the region has ever seen.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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This Sept. 13, 2019 photo shows a chunk of bleached, dead coral shown on a wall near a bay on the west coast of the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. One of the state's most vibrant coral reefs thrives just below the surface in a bay on the west coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Here, on a remote shoreline far from the impacts of sunscreen and throngs of tourists, scientists see the early signs of what’s expected to be a catastrophic season of coral bleaching in Hawaii. The ocean here is about three and a half degrees above normal for this time of year. Coral can recover from bleaching, but when it is exposed to heat over several years, the likelihood of survival decreases.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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In this Sept. 13, 2019 photo, ecologist Greg Asner, the director of Arizona State University's Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, reviews ocean temperature data at his lab on the west coast of the Big Island near Captain Cook, Hawaii. "Nearly every species that we monitor has at least some bleaching," said Asner after a dive in Papa Bay.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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In this Sept. 12, 2019 photo, visitors stand in Kahala'u Bay in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Hawaii residents like Cindi Punihaole Kennedy are pitching in by volunteering to educate tourists. Punihaole Kennedy is director of the Kahalu'u Bay Education Center, a nonprofit created to help protect Kahalu'u Bay, a popular snorkeling spot near the Big Island’s tourist center of Kailua-Kona.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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This Sept. 12, 2019 photo shows bleaching coral in Kahala'u Bay in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Just four years after a major marine heat wave killed nearly half of this coastline’s coral, federal researchers are predicting another round of hot water will cause some of the worst coral bleaching the region has ever seen.
Caleb Jones Associated Press
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