Low coral bleaching prevalence at the Bolinao-Anda Reef Complex, northwestern Philippines during the 2016 thermal stress event.

Here, we examined the coral bleaching responses during the 2016 thermal stress event and post-bleaching changes in coral communities in the heavily disturbed reefs of the Bolinao-Anda Reef Complex (BARC), northwestern Philippines. Less than 25% of colonies bleached, with 77% attributed to five genera (Dipsastrea, Porites, Fungia, Seriatopora, and Montipora). Coral bleaching prevalence was associated with site location, coral composition, and coral abundance, suggesting that small-scale variation (<20 km) in coral communities (taxa and density) influences spatial variation in coral bleaching prevalence.

Fish farm effluents alter reef benthic assemblages and reduce coral settlement.

Fish farming in coastal areas is a rapidly growing industry. However, unregulated fish farming practices that release massive amounts of unconsumed feed and fecal material into the water column, can result in a nutrient-enriched environment that extends to nearby reef systems. To understand the impact of fish farm effluent on coral settlement, we tested the settlement rate of Pocillopora acuta larvae on artificial substrates conditioned for 12 weeks at three sites with increasing distance (2-10 km) from fish farms in Bolinao, Philippines.