Scholarlink

<p>Climate change-driven marine heatwaves are becoming increasingly frequent and intense, posing escalating threats to coral reefs worldwide. This study quantifies the thermal conditions and associated coral bleaching in the Bay Islands of Honduras, an ecologically important but understudied region of the Mesoamerican Reef System during the Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event. We integrated continuous in situ temperature records with satellite-derived sea surface temperature products to follow the progression of the event. Heat stress began accumulating unusually early in June 2023 and peaked in October with average degree heating weeks (DHW) reaching a record 12.8&#xa0;°C-weeks, with minimal spatial variability in temperature across sites. Local teams conducted bleaching assessments using standardized bar drop and Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) methods to monitor the bleaching severity, and we evaluated the Bleaching Severity Index (BSI) across sites and dominant coral species. Survey timing strongly influenced the observed bleaching severity by site and species, which was closely correlated with the level of heat exposure. By late 2023, widespread bleaching across sites affected all dominant coral genera, with vulnerable species such as <i>Agaricia agaricites</i> and <i>Agaricia tenuifolia</i> the most impacted. These results underscore the value of coordinated monitoring for interpreting regional bleaching events, while also illustrating the challenges of implementing timely and standardized surveys in regions with constrained resources. Our findings highlight the importance of sustained, locally grounded monitoring and conservation efforts to support coral reef resilience in the face of accelerating climate change.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Unprecedented heat stress and coral bleaching in 2023: a regional assessment from the Bay Islands of Honduras

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月12日

查看全文
  • Rebecca H. Green,
  • Ángela Randazzo-Eisemann,
  • Andrea Rivera-Sosa,
  • Aaron Israel Muñiz-Castillo,
  • Antonella Rivera,
  • Pamela Ortega,
  • Mayra Núñez-Vallecillo,
  • Claudia Guerrero,
  • Paolo Guardiola,
  • Gisselle Brady,
  • Helen E. Fox

摘要

Climate change-driven marine heatwaves are becoming increasingly frequent and intense, posing escalating threats to coral reefs worldwide. This study quantifies the thermal conditions and associated coral bleaching in the Bay Islands of Honduras, an ecologically important but understudied region of the Mesoamerican Reef System during the Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event. We integrated continuous in situ temperature records with satellite-derived sea surface temperature products to follow the progression of the event. Heat stress began accumulating unusually early in June 2023 and peaked in October with average degree heating weeks (DHW) reaching a record 12.8 °C-weeks, with minimal spatial variability in temperature across sites. Local teams conducted bleaching assessments using standardized bar drop and Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) methods to monitor the bleaching severity, and we evaluated the Bleaching Severity Index (BSI) across sites and dominant coral species. Survey timing strongly influenced the observed bleaching severity by site and species, which was closely correlated with the level of heat exposure. By late 2023, widespread bleaching across sites affected all dominant coral genera, with vulnerable species such as Agaricia agaricites and Agaricia tenuifolia the most impacted. These results underscore the value of coordinated monitoring for interpreting regional bleaching events, while also illustrating the challenges of implementing timely and standardized surveys in regions with constrained resources. Our findings highlight the importance of sustained, locally grounded monitoring and conservation efforts to support coral reef resilience in the face of accelerating climate change.