Williams,-E.H.,Jr.; Bunkley-Williams,-L.  Bleaching of 
	Caribbean coral reef symbionts in 1987-1988.  
	PROCEEDINGS-OF-THE-SIXTH-INTERNATIONAL-CORAL-REEF-
	SYMPOSIUM,-TOWNSVILLE,-AUSTRALIA,-8th-12th-AUGUST-1988.-
	VOLUME-3:-CONTRIBUTED-PAPERS-MINI-SYMPOSIUM-11-16-TO-22. 
	Choat,-J.H.;Barnes,-D.;Borowitzka,-M.A.;Coll,-
	J.C.;Davies,-P.J.;Flood,-P.;Hatcher,-B.G.;et-al.-eds.. 
	1988. pp. 313-318.

The most widespread and intense bleaching ever reported in 
the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic occurred in 
1987-1988. South Florida, the Bahamas, and the northern 
Caribbean were the most severely affected areas. Bleaching 
occurred there and in parts of eastern Colombia and off Texas 
from summer through fall of 1987. In late fall to early 
winter recovery began in these areas, while bleaching began 
in much of the remaining Caribbean at that time. More than 80 
species of coral reef symbionts, representing 3 phyla and 14 
orders, and including the most important reef building 
corals, bleached in the West Indies. Many coral reef 
symbionts suffered necrotic damage and/or death. Almost all 
parameters of the event differ greatly between locations, 
within locations, and among species. High variability may be 
the most common factor.