The 2014 coral bleaching and freshwater flood events in Kane'ohe Bay, Hawai'i.

ABSTRACT: Until recently, subtropical Hawai'i escaped the major bleaching events that have devastated many tropical regions, but the continued increases in global long-term mean temperatures and the apparent ending of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) cool phase have increased the risk of bleaching events. Climate models and observations predict that bleaching in Hawai'i will occur with increasing frequency and increasing severity over future decades. A freshwater "kill" event occurred during July 2014 in the northern part of Kāne'ohe Bay that reduced coral cover by 22.5% in the area directly impacted by flooding. A subsequent major bleaching event during September 2014 caused extensive coral bleaching and mortality throughout the bay and further reduced coral cover in the freshwater kill area b

SUBMITTER: Bahr KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4540025 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature