Seasonal Prediction of Thermal Stress Accumulation for Coral Bleaching in the Tropical Oceans

Abstract

Abstract Mass coral bleaching, associated with anomalously warm ocean temperatures over large regions, poses a serious threat to the future health of the world coral reef systems. Seasonal forecasts from coupled ocean–atmosphere models can be a valuable resource for reef management, providing early warning of potential bleaching conditions, allowing for a proactive management response. Here, the ability of a dynamical seasonal forecast model (Predictive Ocean Atmosphere Model for Australia, POAMA) to forecast degree heating months (DHMs) in the tropical oceans is assessed, with particular focus on the 1997/98 El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and associated global bleaching events. The model exhibits useful skill in forecasting sea surface temperatures (SSTs) across the tropical oceans for 1982–2006 and reproduced both the magnitude and distribution of DHM values observed during the 1997/98 ENSO event. In general, observed teleconnections between ENSO indices and tropical SST at various lags are well captured by the model. In particular, strong observed correlations between peak ENSO indices and SST in the Caribbean in the following summer were reproduced. The model also shows skill in predicting ocean conditions conducive to bleaching in non-ENSO years, capturing the anomalously warm conditions in the Caribbean region in 2005. Probabilistic forecasts of DHM values above certain thresholds for the Caribbean show useful skill and could be valuable in the assessment of the likelihood of bleaching for the region.