Szmant,-A.M.; Gassman,-N.J.  The effects of prolonged 
	"bleaching" on the tissue biomass and reproduction of 
	the reef coral Montastrea annularis.  CORAL-REEFS. 1990. 
	vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 217-224.

Colonies of Montastrea annularis  from Carysfort Reef, 
Florida, that remained bleached seven months after the 1987 
Caribbean bleaching event were studied to determine the long 
term effects of bleaching on coral physiology. Bleached 
corals were not able to complete gametogenesis during the 
reproductive season following the bleaching, while recovered 
corals were able to follow a normal gametogenic cycle. It 
appears that bleached corals were able to survive the 
prolonged period without nutritional contribution from their 
zooxanthellae by consuming their own structural materials for 
maintenance, but then, did not have the resources necessary 
for reproduction. The recovered corals must have regained 
their zooxanthellae soon after the bleaching event since 
neither their tissue biomass nor their ability to reproduce 
were impaired.