Dataset: Coral physiology data (visual bleaching) on four collected coral species from six sites in the Red Sea from 2018 to 2020

Data are from experiments performed across multiple sites in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Djibouti. Multiple ramets from seven genets of Acropora hemprichii, Pocillopora verrucosa, Porites lobata, and Stylophora pistillata were collected from six sites along the Red Sea and used in an 18-hour acute thermal stress assay using the Coral Bleaching Automated Stress System (CBASS).

Corals were subjected to 18-hour acute thermal profiles with four peak target temperatures (30°C, 33°C, 36°C, and 39°C). Experimental tanks were ramped up from the 30 degrees Celsius control treatment to temperature treatments reaching 33°C, 36°C, and 36.5°C in the prolonged experiment at rates of 0.5 and 1.5 degrees C per day. Each temperature treatment contained two replicate tanks (A and B).

Visual bleaching scores as a physiological response metric were recorded and at the end of the experiments. 'Visual bleaching' refers to visual assessments of coral bleaching at the end of the experiments, with ramets classified in one of five categories: 100% pigmented, 80% pigmented, 60% pigmented, 40% pigmented, 20% pigmented, or 0% pigmented. Visual bleaching was assessed using a Nikon 1 J1 digital camera system with a 10-30mm VR Lens.

Problems/Issues:
There are some missing data due to sample loss or mortality.