This project will investigate the phenomenon of "bleaching" in a widespread genus of reef dwelling benthic foraminifera from the Florida Keys region with the purpose of examining its potential as a useful environmental indicator of the "bleaching" problem in general. Recent widespread episodes of "bleaching" of coral reef organisms has raised concern about the environmental quality of coral reef ecosystems and the potentially deteriorating health of these systems. Foraminifera are small and easily collected organisms and their collection results in minimal environmental impact to the reefs. The goals of the research are: 1. to describe the process of bleaching and recovery in both laboratory and field bleached individuals; 2. to examine if high temperature and ultra- violet radiation , as well as fluorescent light can induce bleaching; 3. to determine to what degree the foraminifera can bleach and still recover; 4. to determine if bleaching inhibits the laying down of the forams calcified shell; 5. to develop techniques to rapidly assay for bleaching.
