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Solar Irradiance


Bleaching during the summer months, during seasonal temperature and irradiance maxima often occurs disproportionately in shallow-living corals and on the exposed summits of colonies. Solar radiation has been suspected to play a role in coral bleaching. Both photo-syntheticaly active radiation (PAR, 400- 700nm) and ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400nm) have been implicated in bleaching.