An Investigation on coral bleaching in Kish Island,Persian Gulf

Subject Areas : Marine Biology

A.  Salehdoost ¹ (Fishery Dep., Faculty of Marine Science & Technology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch)
M.J.  Jami ² (Fishery Dep., Faculty of Marine Science & Technology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch)
H.  Negarestan ³ (Iranian Fisheries Research Organization, Tehran)
R.  Mosavi Nadoshan ⁴ (Fishery Dep., Faculty of Marine Science & Technology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch)
B.  Mokhayer ⁵ (Fishery Dep., Faculty of Marine Science & Technology, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch)

Received: 2010-07-23 Accepted : 2011-06-19 Published : 2011-09-22

Keywords: Persian Gulf, bleaching, Kish Island, coral reef,

Abstract :

Coral reefs are considered as one of most productive marine habitats for energy and production of organic matter.21 species of hard corals have been identified in Kish Island The family Favidea have the highest variety .The genera porites ,Acropora are abundant coral reefs in Kish Island. Bleaching of the coral reefs along with the death or not death of corals is the reflex of corals to the environmental stress.  Methods used in this study due to the status of the amount of approximate alive or dead coral reefs around the KishIsland, is timed swims or TS. 6 regions around KishIsland. were evaluated, the Persian Gulf, Big coral, Jurassic park, KolbeHoor, Greek ship, north of the Island. In the Jurassic park area coral colonies of the genera Acropora , Porites were bleached with 45percent.Minimum of bleaching had seen in north of the Island with 10 percent. In Persian Gulf site dead corals of Acropora sp.  and Porites sp. were seencolonies of  Acropora sp. were bleached with algae on it. Human activities like anchoring boats and recreational snorkeling in shallow water could be damaging coral reef.