Extreme coral bleaching: Research must expand scale. Old scale increases the limit for warming, which begins around four weeks in Celsius.
New system is intended to give a better idea of how coral reefs respond to extreme heat. Bleach Alert Level 5 is five times higher than the first level, Bleach Alert level 1, which indicates significant bleaching. “We cannot ignore climate change,” said Stephanie Schopmeyer, associate associate wildlife manager with Florida Fish and Wildlife. ‘It’s almost as if last year was a wake-up call,’ said Derek Manzello, ecologist.