scholarly journals Shifting white pox aetiologies affecting Acropora palmata in the Florida Keys, 1994–2014

2016 ◽  
Vol 371 (1689) ◽  
pp. 20150205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn P. Sutherland ◽  
Brett Berry ◽  
Andrew Park ◽  
Dustin W. Kemp ◽  
Keri M. Kemp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Disease ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Disease State ◽  
Moving Target ◽  
Acropora Palmata ◽  
Coral Diseases ◽  
Disease Aetiology ◽  
The Caribbean

We propose ‘the moving target hypothesis’ to describe the aetiology of a contemporary coral disease that differs from that of its historical disease state. Hitting the target with coral disease aetiology is a complex pursuit that requires understanding of host and environment, and may lack a single pathogen solution. White pox disease (WPX) affects the Caribbean coral Acropora palmata . Acroporid serratiosis is a form of WPX for which the bacterial pathogen ( Serratia marcescens ) has been established. We used long-term (1994–2014) photographic monitoring to evaluate historical and contemporary epizootiology and aetiology of WPX affecting A. palmata at eight reefs in the Florida Keys. Ranges of WPX prevalence over time (0–71.4%) were comparable for the duration of the 20-year study. Whole colony mortality and disease severity were high in historical (1994–2004), and low in contemporary (2008–2014), outbreaks of WPX. Acroporid serratiosis was diagnosed for some historical (1999, 2003) and contemporary (2012, 2013) outbreaks, but this form of WPX was not confirmed for all WPX cases. Our results serve as a context for considering aetiology as a moving target for WPX and other coral diseases for which pathogens are established and/or candidate pathogens are identified. Coral aetiology investigations completed to date suggest that changes in pathogen, host and/or environment alter the disease state and complicate diagnosis.

scholarly journals Experimental antibiotic treatment identifies potential pathogens of white band disease in the endangered Caribbean coral Acropora cervicornis

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1788) ◽  
pp. 20140094 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Sweet ◽  
A. Croquer ◽  
J. C. Bythell
Keyword(s):  
Coral Disease ◽  
Causal Agent ◽  
Acropora Palmata ◽  
Acropora Cervicornis ◽  
Coral Diseases ◽  
White Band ◽  
Disease Causation ◽  
Community Shifts ◽  
White Band Disease ◽  
Experimental Treatments

Coral diseases have been increasingly reported over the past few decades and are a major contributor to coral decline worldwide. The Caribbean, in particular, has been noted as a hotspot for coral disease, and the aptly named white syndromes have caused the decline of the dominant reef building corals throughout their range. White band disease (WBD) has been implicated in the dramatic loss of Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata since the 1970s, resulting in both species being listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red list. The causal agent of WBD remains unknown, although recent studies based on challenge experiments with filtrate from infected hosts concluded that the disease is probably caused by bacteria. Here, we report an experiment using four different antibiotic treatments, targeting different members of the disease-associated microbial community. Two antibiotics, ampicillin and paromomycin, arrested the disease completely, and by comparing with community shifts brought about by treatments that did not arrest the disease, we have identified the likely candidate causal agent or agents of WBD. Our interpretation of the experimental treatments is that one or a combination of up to three specific bacterial types, detected consistently in diseased corals but not detectable in healthy corals, are likely causal agents of WBD. In addition, a histophagous ciliate ( Philaster lucinda ) identical to that found consistently in association with white syndrome in Indo-Pacific acroporas was also consistently detected in all WBD samples and absent in healthy coral. Treatment with metronidazole reduced it to below detection limits, but did not arrest the disease. However, the microscopic disease signs changed, suggesting a secondary role in disease causation for this ciliate. In future studies to identify a causal agent of WBD via tests of Henle–Koch's postulates, it will be vital to experimentally control for populations of the other potential pathogens identified in this study.

scholarly journals Systematic Analysis of White Pox Disease in Acropora palmata of the Florida Keys and Role of Serratia marcescens

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (13) ◽  
pp. 4451-4457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Joyner ◽  
Kathryn P. Sutherland ◽  
Dustin W. Kemp ◽  
Brett Berry ◽  
Ashton Griffin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serratia Marcescens ◽  
Coral Disease ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Disease Status ◽  
Acropora Palmata ◽  
Overlying Water ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Apparently Healthy

ABSTRACTWhite pox disease (WPD) affects the threatened elkhorn coral,Acropora palmata. Owing in part to the lack of a rapid and simple diagnostic test, there have been few systematic assessments of the prevalence of acroporid serratiosis (caused specifically bySerratia marcescens) versus general WPD signs. Six reefs in the Florida Keys were surveyed between 2011 and 2013 to determine the disease status ofA. palmataand the prevalence ofS. marcescens. WPD was noted at four of the six reefs, with WPD lesions found on 8 to 40% of the colonies surveyed.S. marcescenswas detected in 26.9% (7/26) of the WPD lesions and in mucus from apparently healthy colonies both during and outside of disease events (9%; 18/201).S. marcescenswas detected with greater frequency inA. palmatathan in the overlying water column, regardless of disease status (P= 0.0177).S. marcescenscould not be cultured fromA. palmatabut was isolated from healthy colonies of other coral species and was identified as pathogenic pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type PDR60. WPD lesions were frequently observed on the reef, but unlike in prior outbreaks, no whole-colony death was observed. PathogenicS. marcescenswas circulating on the reef but did not appear to be the primary pathogen in these recent WPD episodes, suggesting that other pathogens or stressors may contribute to signs of WPD. Results highlight the critical importance of diagnostics in coral disease investigations, especially given that field manifestation of disease may be similar, regardless of the etiological agent.

scholarly journals Coral Disease Time Series Highlight Size-Dependent Risk and Other Drivers of White Syndrome in a Multi-Species Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Austin Greene ◽  
Megan J. Donahue ◽  
Jamie M. Caldwell ◽  
Scott F. Heron ◽  
Erick Geiger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Disease ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Coral Diseases ◽  
White Syndrome ◽  
Size Dependent ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
Term Monitoring ◽  
Past Conditions

Coral diseases contribute to the decline of reef communities, but factors that lead to disease are difficult to detect. In the present study, we develop a multi-species model of colony-scale risk for the class of coral diseases referred to as White Syndromes, investigating the role of current or past conditions, including both environmental stressors and biological drivers at the colony and community scales. Investigating 7 years of coral survey data at five sites in Guam we identify multiple environmental and ecological associations with White Syndrome, including a negative relationship between short-term heat stress and White Syndrome occurrence, and strong evidence of increasing size-dependent White Syndrome risk across coral species. Our findings result in a generalized model used to predict colony-scale White Syndrome risk for multiple species, highlighting the value of long-term monitoring efforts to detect drivers of coral disease.

scholarly journals Increases and decreases in marine disease reports in an era of global change

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1912) ◽  
pp. 20191718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison M. Tracy ◽  
Madeline L. Pielmeier ◽  
Reyn M. Yoshioka ◽  
Scott F. Heron ◽  
C. Drew Harvell
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Coral Disease ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Coral Diseases ◽  
Environmentally Sensitive ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Increasing Temperature ◽  
Mass Mortalities

Outbreaks of marine infectious diseases have caused widespread mass mortalities, but the lack of baseline data has precluded evaluating whether disease is increasing or decreasing in the ocean. We use an established literature proxy method from Ward and Lafferty (Ward and Lafferty 2004 PLoS Biology 2 , e120 ( doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0020120 )) to analyse a 44-year global record of normalized disease reports from 1970 to 2013. Major marine hosts are combined into nine taxonomic groups, from seagrasses to marine mammals, to assess disease swings, defined as positive or negative multi-decadal shifts in disease reports across related hosts. Normalized disease reports increased significantly between 1970 and 2013 in corals and urchins, indicating positive disease swings in these environmentally sensitive ectotherms. Coral disease reports in the Caribbean correlated with increasing temperature anomalies, supporting the hypothesis that warming oceans drive infectious coral diseases. Meanwhile, disease risk may also decrease in a changing ocean. Disease reports decreased significantly in fishes and elasmobranchs, which have experienced steep human-induced population declines and diminishing population density that, while concerning, may reduce disease. The increases and decreases in disease reports across the 44-year record transcend short-term fluctuations and regional variation. Our results show that long-term changes in disease reports coincide with recent decades of widespread environmental change in the ocean.

scholarly journals Genotypic variation in disease susceptibility among cultured stocks of elkhorn and staghorn corals

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret W. Miller ◽  
Philip J. Colburn ◽  
Emma Pontes ◽  
Dana E. Williams ◽  
Allan J. Bright ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Susceptibility ◽  
Coral Disease ◽  
Genotypic Variation ◽  
Genetic Resistance ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Tissue Loss ◽  
Acropora Palmata ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Primary Driver

Disease mortality has been a primary driver of population declines and the threatened status of the foundational Caribbean corals, Acropora palmata and A. cervicornis. There remain few tools to effectively manage coral disease. Substantial investment is flowing into in situ culture and population enhancement efforts, while disease takes a variable but sometimes high toll in restored populations. If genetic resistance to disease can be identified in these corals, it may be leveraged to improve resistance in restored populations and possibly lead to effective diagnostic tests and disease treatments. Using a standardized field protocol based on replicated direct-graft challenge assays, we quantified this important trait in cultured stocks from three field nurseries in the Florida Keys. Field tests of 12 genotypes of A. palmata and 31 genotypes of A. cervicornis revealed significant genotypic variation in disease susceptibility of both species measured both as risk of transmission (percent of exposed fragments that displayed tissue loss) and as the rate of tissue loss (cm2 d–1) in fragments with elicited lesions. These assay results provide a measure of relative disease resistance that can be incorporated, along with consideration of other important traits such as growth and reproductive success, into restoration strategies to yield more resilient populations.

scholarly journals Removal of corallivorous snails as a proactive conservation tool

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana E Williams ◽  
Margaret W Miller ◽  
Allan J Bright ◽  
Caitlin M Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Impact Analysis ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Tissue Loss ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Acropora Palmata ◽  
Partial Mortality ◽  
Host Coral ◽  
Coralliophila Abbreviata ◽  
Term Monitoring

Corallivorous snail feeding is a common source of tissue loss for the threatened coral Acropora palmata, accounting for roughly one-quarter of tissue loss in monitored study plots over seven years. However, corallivory by Coralliophila abbreviata is one of the few major sources of partial mortality (contrasting with threats such as bleaching, disease, or storm disturbances) that may be locally managed. We conducted a field experiment to explore the effectiveness and feasibility of snail removal. Long-term monitoring plots on six reefs in the upper Florida Keys were assigned to one of three removal treatments: 1) removal from A. palmata only, 2) removal from all host coral species, or 3) no-removal controls. During the initial removal in June 2011, 639 snails were removed from twelve 150 m2 plots. Snails were removed two additional times during a seven month “removal phase”, then counted at five surveys over the next 19 months to track recolonization. At the conclusion, snails were collected, measured, and sexed. Before-After-Control-Impact analysis revealed that both snail abundance and feeding scar prevalence were reduced in removal treatments compared to the control, but there was no difference between removal treatments. Recolonization by snails to baseline abundance is estimated to be 4.3 years and did not differ between removal treatments. Recolonization rate was significantly correlated with baseline snail abundance. Maximum snail size decreased from 47.0 mm to 34.6 mm in the removal treatments. The effort required to remove snails from A. palmata was 30 diver minutes per 150 m2 plot, compared with 51 minutes to remove snails from all host corals. Since there was no additional benefit observed with removing snails from all host species, removals can be more efficiently focused on only A. palmata colonies, and in areas where C. abbreviata abundance is high, to effectively conserve A. palmata in targeted areas.

scholarly journals Widespread loss of Caribbean acroporid corals was underway before coral bleaching and disease outbreaks

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (17) ◽  
pp. eaax9395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie L. Cramer ◽  
Jeremy B. C. Jackson ◽  
Mary K. Donovan ◽  
Benjamin J. Greenstein ◽  
Chelsea A. Korpanty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Coral Disease ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Acropora Palmata ◽  
Acropora Cervicornis ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Agricultural Areas

The mass mortality of acroporid corals has transformed Caribbean reefs from coral- to macroalgal-dominated habitats since systematic monitoring began in the 1970s. Declines have been attributed to overfishing, pollution, sea urchin and coral disease, and climate change, but the mechanisms are unresolved due to the dearth of pre-1970s data. We used paleoecological, historical, and survey data to track Acropora presence and dominance throughout the Caribbean from the prehuman period to present. Declines in dominance from prehuman values first occurred in the 1950s for Acropora palmata and the 1960s for Acropora cervicornis, decades before outbreaks of acroporid disease or bleaching. We compared trends in Acropora dominance since 1950 to potential regional and local drivers. Human population negatively affected and consumption of fertilizer for agriculture positively affected A. palmata dominance, the latter likely due to lower human presence in agricultural areas. The earlier, local roots of Caribbean Acropora declines highlight the urgency of mitigating local human impacts.

scholarly journals Removal of corallivorous snails as a proactive conservation tool

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana E Williams ◽  
Margaret W Miller ◽  
Allan J Bright ◽  
Caitlin M Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Impact Analysis ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Tissue Loss ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Acropora Palmata ◽  
Partial Mortality ◽  
Host Coral ◽  
Coralliophila Abbreviata ◽  
Term Monitoring

Corallivorous snail feeding is a common source of tissue loss for the threatened coral Acropora palmata, accounting for roughly one-quarter of tissue loss in monitored study plots over seven years. However, corallivory by Coralliophila abbreviata is one of the few major sources of partial mortality (contrasting with threats such as bleaching, disease, or storm disturbances) that may be locally managed. We conducted a field experiment to explore the effectiveness and feasibility of snail removal. Long-term monitoring plots on six reefs in the upper Florida Keys were assigned to one of three removal treatments: 1) removal from A. palmata only, 2) removal from all host coral species, or 3) no-removal controls. During the initial removal in June 2011, 639 snails were removed from twelve 150 m2 plots. Snails were removed two additional times during a seven month “removal phase”, then counted at five surveys over the next 19 months to track recolonization. At the conclusion, snails were collected, measured, and sexed. Before-After-Control-Impact analysis revealed that both snail abundance and feeding scar prevalence were reduced in removal treatments compared to the control, but there was no difference between removal treatments. Recolonization by snails to baseline abundance is estimated to be 4.3 years and did not differ between removal treatments. Recolonization rate was significantly correlated with baseline snail abundance. Maximum snail size decreased from 47.0 mm to 34.6 mm in the removal treatments. The effort required to remove snails from A. palmata was 30 diver minutes per 150 m2 plot, compared with 51 minutes to remove snails from all host corals. Since there was no additional benefit observed with removing snails from all host species, removals can be more efficiently focused on only A. palmata colonies, and in areas where C. abbreviata abundance is high, to effectively conserve A. palmata in targeted areas.

Long-term thermograph records from the upper Florida Keys; comparisons between sites

1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Hudson ◽  
R.B. Halley ◽  
A.J. Joseph ◽  
B.H. Lidz ◽  
D. Schroeder
Keyword(s):  
Florida Keys
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