Recovery of Acroporidae verrill Coral Communities After Widespread Bleaching in Amitori Bay, Iriomote Island in 2016

Amitori Bay, Iriomote Island, experienced severe coral bleaching in 2016. Research conducted in 2017 and 2018 revealed that while coral cover significantly declined post-bleaching and remained low, spawning rates showed signs of recovery, particularly in 2018, indicating partial healing from bleaching damage. Juvenile coral colonies were notably abundant near the bay's mouth. Recovery varied by location, with areas closer to the bay's entrance or central region showing potential for faster restoration. The study also noted that typhoons in subsequent years mitigated water temperature spikes, preventing further large-scale bleaching events.

MURAKAMI, T., KOHNO, H., NAKAMURA, M., KUROSAWA, K., KUNISHIMA, A., TAKESHITA, Y., MIZUTANI, A., & SHIMOKAWA, S. (2019). 西表島網取湾における2016年大規模白化後のミドリイシ科サンゴ群集の回復状況. Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Ser. B3 (Ocean Engineering), 75(2), I. https://doi.org/10.2208/jscejoe.75.i_498