Coral disease prevalence estimation and sampling design

In the last decades diseases have changed coral communities’ structure and function in reefs worldwide. Studies conducted to evaluate the effect of diseases on corals frequently use modified adaptations of sampling designs that were developed to study ecological aspects of coral reefs. Here we evaluate how efficient these sampling protocols are by generating virtual data for a coral population parameterized with mean coral density and disease prevalence estimates from the Caribbean scleractinian Orbicella faveolata at the Mexican Caribbean. Six scenarios were tested consisting of three patterns of coral colony distribution (random, randomly clustered and randomly over-dispersed) and two disease transmission modes (random and contagious). The virtual populations were sampled with the commonly used method of belt-transects with variable sample-unit sizes (10 × 1, 10 × 2, 25 × 2, 50 × 2 m). Results showed that the probability of obtaining a mean coral disease prevalence estimate of ±5% of the true prevalence value was low (range: 11–48%) and that two-sample comparisons achieved rather low power, unless very large effect sizes existed. Such results imply low statistical confidence to assess differences or changes in coral disease prevalence. The main problem identified was insufficient sample size because local mean colony size, density and spatial distribution of targeted coral species was not taken into consideration to properly adjust the sampling protocols

Caribbean Corals in Crisis: Record Thermal Stress, Bleaching, and Mortality in 2005

BACKGROUND The rising temperature of the world's oceans has become a major threat to coral reefs globally as the severity and frequency of mass coral bleaching and mortality events increase. In 2005, high ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean resulted in the most severe bleaching event ever recorded in the basin. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Satellite-based tools provided warnings for coral reef managers and scientists, guiding both the timing and location of researchers' field observations as anomalously warm conditions developed and spread across the greater Caribbean region from June to October 2005. Field surveys of bleaching and mortality exceeded prior efforts in detail and extent, and provided a new standard for documenting the effects of bleaching and for testing nowcast and forecast products. Collaborators from 22 countries undertook the most comprehensive documentation of basin-scale bleaching to date and found that over 80% of corals bleached and over 40% died at many sites. The most severe bleaching coincided with waters nearest a western Atlantic warm pool that was centered off the northern end of the Lesser Antilles. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Thermal stress during the 2005 event exceeded any observed from the Caribbean in the prior 20 years, and regionally-averaged temperatures were the warmest in over 150 years. Comparison of satellite data against field surveys demonstrated a significant predictive relationship between accumulated heat stress (measured using NOAA Coral Reef Watch's Degree Heating Weeks) and bleaching intensity. This severe, widespread bleaching and mortality will undoubtedly have long-term consequences for reef ecosystems and suggests a troubled future for tropical marine ecosystems under a warming climate.This work was partially supported by salaries from the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program authors. NOAA provided funding to Caribbean ReefCheck investigators to undertake surveys of bleaching and mortality. Otherwise, no funding from outside authors' institutions was necessary for the undertaking of this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

The caribbean coastal marine productivity program (CARICOMP)

CARICOMP is a regional scientific program to study land-sea interaction processes in the Caribbean coastal zone. It has been collecting data since 1992, when a Data Management Centre was established at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. Initially it focuses on documenting the structure and productivity of major coastal communities (mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and coral reefs) at relatively undisturbed sites in diverse physical settings. Second, by regular recording of physical and biological parameters, it monitors for change, seeking to distinguish natural from anthropogenic disturbance. Third, it constitutes a regional network of observers, able to collaborate on studies of region-wide events. Examples are presented of the diverse data sets collected by the Program.Fil: Alcolado, Pedro M.. Instituto de Oceanología; CubaFil: Alleng, Gerard. No especifíca;Fil: Bonair, Kurt. No especifíca;Fil: Bone, David. Universidad Simón Bolívar; VenezuelaFil: Buchan, Kenneth. No especifíca;Fil: Bush, Phillippe G.. Protection and Conservation Unit; Islas CaimánFil: De Meyer, Kalli. No especifíca;Fil: Garcia, Jorge R.. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Garzón Ferreira, Jaime. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ColombiaFil: Gayle, Peter M. H.. Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory; JamaicaFil: Gerace, Donald T.. Bahamian Field Station; BahamasFil: Geraldes, Francisco X.. Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo.; República DominicanaFil: Dahlgren, Eric Jordán. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Kjferve, Björn. University of South Carolina; Estados UnidosFil: Klein, Eduardo. Universidad Simón Bolívar; VenezuelaFil: Koltes, Karen. Smithsonian Institution; Estados UnidosFil: Laydoo, Richard S.. No especifíca;Fil: Linton, Dulcie M.. University of the West Indies ; JamaicaFil: Ogden, John C.. Florida Institute of Oceanography; Estados UnidosFil: Oxenford, Hazel A.. McGill University; BarbadosFil: Parker, Christoph. McGill University; BarbadosFil: Penchaszadeh, Pablo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Pors, Leon P. P. J.. Universidad Simón Bolívar; VenezuelaFil: Ramírez Ramírez, Javier. Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados. Departamento de Física; MéxicoFil: Ruiz Rentería, Francisco. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Ryan, Joseph D.. Centro de Investigación y Documentación de la Costa Atlántica; NicaraguaFil: Smith, Struan R.. Bermuda Biological Station for Research; BermudasFil: Tschirky, John. Latin American and Caribbean Division; Estados UnidosFil: Varela, Ramon. Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita; VenezuelaFil: Walker, Susan. No especifíca;Fil: Weil, Ernesto. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Wiebe, William J.. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Woodley, Jeremy D.. University of the West Indies; JamaicaFil: Zieman, Joseph C.. University of Virginia; Estados Unido

Environmental state and tendencies of the Puerto Morelos CARICOMP site, Mexico

The CARICOMP site at Puerto Morelos, Mexico was monitored from 1993 to 2005. No significant changes in air temperature, wind patterns, periodicity and quantity of rainfall, sea-surface temperature and water transparency were observed between sampling years. During the study four hurricane impacts were registered. At the coral reef site overall mean cover of fleshy algae (47%) and turf algae (36%) were high, whereas cover of corals (2%) and sponges (3%), and abundance of sea-urchins (0.04 org m-2) were consistently low. Gorgonians were dominant and showed changes in their community structure; the number of species increased from 1993 to 1995, their abundance decreased after Hurricane Roxanne (1995) and recovered by 2001. At four seagrass sites total community biomass remained constant (707.1-929.6 g dry m-2) but the above-ground biomass of the seagrass Syringodium filiforme and fleshy algae increased gradually. Total biomass (531-699 g dry m-2) and leaf productivity (0.89-1.56 g dry m-2 d-1) of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum remained constant, but the species invested proportionally more biomass in above-ground leaf tissues at the end of the study. The minor hurricanes from 1993 until 2005 had no detectable impacts on the seagrass beds, however, the major Hurricane Wilma (October 2005) changed the community composition at three stations and caused complete burial of the vegetation at a coastal station. The gradual changes in the seagrass and reef communities recorded in the 12 years of continuous monitoring of the CARICOMP site may reflect the increased pollution caused by the rapid augment in urban and tourist developments along the coasts and inland from Puerto Morelos, coupled with poor water management practices. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (Suppl. 3): 23-43. Epub 2010 October 01.El sitio CARICOMP en Puerto Morelos, México, se monitoreo de 1993 a 2005. No se registraron cambios significativos en la temperatura del aire, los patrones de viento, la periodicidad y cantidad de lluvia, la temperatura superficial del mar y la transparencia del agua entre los años de muestreo. Durante el estudio se registraron cuatro huracanes menores. En el sitio del arrecife coralino la cobertura global promedio de algas carnosas (47%) y de algas tipo tapete (36%) fue elevada, mientras que la cobertura de corales (2%), esponjas (3%) y la abundancia de erizos (0.04 m-2) fue consistentemente baja. Los gorgonáceos fueron dominantes y mostraron cambios en su estructura comunitaria; el número de especies aumentó de 1993 a 1995, su abundancia disminuyó después del Huracán Roxanne (1995) y se recuperó en el 2001. En cuatro estaciones de pastos marinos la biomasa total de la comunidad permaneció constante (707.1-929.6 gps m-2) pero la biomasa sobre el sustrato del pasto Syringodium filiforme y de algas carnosas aumentó gradualmente. La biomasa total (531-699 gps m-2) y productividad de hojas (0.89-1.56 gps m-2 d-1) del pasto Thalassia testudinum permaneció constante, pero la especie invirtió proporcionalmente más biomasa en el tejido de hojas sobre el sustrato al final del estudio. Los huracanes menores entre 1993 y 2005 no produjeron impactos detectables en las camas de pastos, sin embargo, el huracán mayor Wilma (Octubre 2005) cambió la composición de la comunidad en tres estaciones y causó el enterramiento completo de la vegetación en la estación costera. El cambio gradual en las comunidades de pastos marinos y arrecife registrado en 12 años de monitoreo continuo en el sitio CARICOMP puede reflejar un aumento en la contaminación causada por el rápido incremento en desarrollo urbano y turístico a lo largo de la costa y tierra adentro de Puerto Morelos, acompañado por malas prácticas de manejo del agua

Environmental state and tendencies of the Puerto Morelos CARICOMP site, Mexico

The CARICOMP site at Puerto Morelos, Mexico was monitored from 1993 to 2005. No significant changes in air temperature, wind patterns, periodicity and quantity of rainfall, sea-surface temperature and water transparency were observed between sampling years. During the study four hurricane impacts were registered. At the coral reef site overall mean cover of fleshy algae (47%) and turf algae (36%) were high, whereas cover of corals (2%) and sponges (3%), and abundance of sea-urchins (0.04 org m-2) were consistently low. Gorgonians were dominant and showed changes in their community structure; the number of species increased from 1993 to 1995, their abundance decreased after Hurricane Roxanne (1995) and recovered by 2001. At four seagrass sites total community biomass remained constant (707.1-929.6 g dry m-2) but the above-ground biomass of the seagrass Syringodium filiforme and fleshy algae increased gradually. Total biomass (531-699 g dry m-2) and leaf productivity (0.89-1.56 g dry m-2 d-1) of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum remained constant, but the species invested proportionally more biomass in above-ground leaf tissues at the end of the study. The minor hurricanes from 1993 until 2005 had no detectable impacts on the seagrass beds, however, the major Hurricane Wilma (October 2005) changed the community composition at three stations and caused complete burial of the vegetation at a coastal station. The gradual changes in the seagrass and reef communities recorded in the 12 years of continuous monitoring of the CARICOMP site may reflect the increased pollution caused by the rapid augment in urban and tourist developments along the coasts and inland from Puerto Morelos, coupled with poor water management practices.El sitio CARICOMP en Puerto Morelos, México, se monitoreo de 1993 a 2005. No se registraron cambios significativos en la temperatura del aire, los patrones de viento, la periodicidad y cantidad de lluvia, la temperatura superficial del mar y la transparencia del agua entre los años de muestreo. Durante el estudio se registraron cuatro huracanes menores. En el sitio del arrecife coralino la cobertura global promedio de algas carnosas (47%) y de algas tipo tapete (36%) fue elevada, mientras que la cobertura de corales (2%), esponjas (3%) y la abundancia de erizos (0.04 m-2) fue consistentemente baja. Los gorgonáceos fueron dominantes y mostraron cambios en su estructura comunitaria; el número de especies aumentó de 1993 a 1995, su abundancia disminuyó después del Huracán Roxanne (1995) y se recuperó en el 2001. En cuatro estaciones de pastos marinos la biomasa total de la comunidad permaneció constante (707.1-929.6 gps m-2) pero la biomasa sobre el sustrato del pasto Syringodium filiforme y de algas carnosas aumentó gradualmente. La biomasa total (531-699 gps m-2) y productividad de hojas (0.89-1.56 gps m-2 d-1) del pasto Thalassia testudinum permaneció constante, pero la especie invirtió proporcionalmente más biomasa en el tejido de hojas sobre el sustrato al final del estudio. Los huracanes menores entre 1993 y 2005 no produjeron impactos detectables en las camas de pastos, sin embargo, el huracán mayor Wilma (Octubre 2005) cambió la composición de la comunidad en tres estaciones y causó el enterramiento completo de la vegetación en la estación costera. El cambio gradual en las comunidades de pastos marinos y arrecife registrado en 12 años de monitoreo continuo en el sitio CARICOMP puede reflejar un aumento en la contaminación causada por el rápido incremento en desarrollo urbano y turístico a lo largo de la costa y tierra adentro de Puerto Morelos, acompañado por malas prácticas de manejo del agua

Coral disease, environmental drivers, and the balance between coral and microbial associates

across the globe, we are witnessing the decline of coral reef ecosystems. One relatively new factor contributing to this decline is the outbreak of destructive infectious diseases, especially on Caribbean reefs. As the Coral Disease Working Group of the Coral Reef Targeted Research\ud Program, our research focuses on four priorities: (1) assessing the global prevalence of coral disease, (2) investigating the environmental drivers of disease, (3) identifying the pathogens that cause disease, and (4) evaluating the coral’s ability to resist disease. Monitoring has revealed new coral-disease syndromes at each of four Global Environmental Fund Centers of Excellence:\ud the Caribbean, the Philippines, Australia, and East Africa. Over the last 20 years, drastic (> 50 percent) loss of coral cover has occurred on the Yucatán Peninsula, even in pristine areas. Global surveys have revealed significant levels of disease and disease outbreaks occurring not\ud only in the Caribbean “hotspots,” but also in sites throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans. By monitoring coral disease, we will create a baseline and long-term data set that can be used to test specific hypotheses about how climate and anthropogenic drivers, such as decreasing water quality, threaten coral reef sustainability. One such hypothesis is that high-temperature anomalies drive outbreaks of disease by hindering the coral’s ability to fi ght infection and by increasing the pathogens’ virulence. We observed recurrent outbreaks following the warm summer months of two of the most damaging diseases in the Caribbean. In addition, we found that coral disease in\ud the Great Barrier Reef correlated with warm temperature anomalies. In the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas, virulence of known coral pathogens and the normal coral flora changed during high-temperature periods. Other stresses such as high nutrients and sedimentation may similarly alter the balance between the coral and its resident microbial flora

Environmental state and tendencies of the Puerto Morelos CARICOMP site, Mexico

The CARICOMP site at Puerto Morelos, Mexico was monitored from 1993 to 2005. No significant changes in air temperature, wind patterns, periodicity and quantity of rainfall, sea-surface temperature and water transparency were observed between sampling years. During the study four hurricane impacts were registered. At the coral reef site overall mean cover of fleshy algae (47%) and turf algae (36%) were high, whereas cover of corals (2%) and sponges (3%), and abundance of sea-urchins (0.04 org m-2) were consistently low. Gorgonians were dominant and showed changes in their community structure; the number of species increased from 1993 to 1995, their abundance decreased after Hurricane Roxanne (1995) and recovered by 2001. At four seagrass sites total community biomass remained constant (707.1-929.6 g dry m-2) but the above-ground biomass of the seagrass Syringodium filiforme and fleshy algae increased gradually. Total biomass (531-699 g dry m-2) and leaf productivity (0.89-1.56 g dry m-2 d-1) of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum remained constant, but the species invested proportionally more biomass in above-ground leaf tissues at the end of the study. The minor hurricanes from 1993 until 2005 had no detectable impacts on the seagrass beds, however, the major Hurricane Wilma (October 2005) changed the community composition at three stations and caused complete burial of the vegetation at a coastal station. The gradual changes in the seagrass and reef communities recorded in the 12 years of continuous monitoring of the CARICOMP site may reflect the increased pollution caused by the rapid augment in urban and tourist developments along the coasts and inland from Puerto Morelos, coupled with poor water management practices. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (Suppl. 3): 23-43. Epub 2010 October 01

Local dynamics of a white syndrome outbreak and changes in the microbial community associated with colonies of the scleractinian brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa

Reef corals in the Mexican Reef System have been severely affected by the emergence of a white syndrome that resembles both White Plague II and SCTLD descriptions. Meandroid scleractinian coral species are among the most severely affected. To gain insight into this affliction we conducted a broad study in the brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa at a rear reef site in the NE Mexican Caribbean. We describe macro and microscopical signals of the disease, characterize the outbreak dynamics, the tissue histopathology, explore immunological responses in the individuals, and compare microbial assemblages associated with the surface mucus layer of healthy and unhealthy colonies. At the study site, the white syndrome outbreak on P. strigosa showed a high incidence rate in summer-fall and a low one in winter, as well as low survival expectation of diseased colonies at the end of the study. After 306 days of observation, out of 96 tracked colonies, eight remained apparently healthy and seven were diseased. No effective resistance to colony disease progression was observed once white syndrome signs developed. Tissue loss rate during the study varied among colonies (mean = 10.8 cm2, s.d. = 7.8 cm2) suggesting a complex relation between causal agents and colony resistance. The deterioration of tissues was evidenced from the basal to the surface body wall of polyps (up to 66% hypertrophy and liquefactive necrosis in unhealthy colonies), implying that microscopic alterations begin before macroscopic signals develop, suggesting this may be a systemic disease. We measured high levels of phenoloxidase (two orders of magnitude higher PO activity than P. strigosa affected by BBD) and antibacterial activity without significant reduction in unhealthy samples from the mucus layer, indicative of an enhanced immunological response. Results showed that opportunistic bacteria dominated damaged colonies, where six genera of the Bacteroidia class were found with significant changes in unhealthy colonies after DeSeq2 analysis. Nevertheless, histological observations did not support infection of the tissues. The opportunistic overload seems to be contained within the mucus layer but may be associated with the mortality of tissues in a yet unclear way. Future research should focus on experimental infections, the tracking of natural infections, and the immunocompetence of corals in the face of environmental pressures due to local, regional, and global impacts. If environmental deterioration is the primary cause of the continuing emergence and re-emergence of lethal coral diseases, as has been proposed by many authors, the only true option to effectively help preserve the coral reef biodiversity and services, is to restore the environmental quality of reef waters at the local scale and reduce greenhouse gases at the global scale

Global coral disease prevalence associated with sea temperature anomalies and local factors

Coral diseases are taking an increasing toll on coral reef structure and biodiversity and are important indicators of declining health in the oceans. We implemented standardized coral disease surveys to pinpoint hotspots of coral disease, reveal vulnerable coral families and test hypotheses about climate drivers from 39 locations worldwide. We analyzed a 3 yr study of coral disease prevalence to identify links between disease and a range of covariates, including thermal anomalies (from satellite data), location and coral cover, using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model. Prevalence of unhealthy corals, i.e. those with signs of known diseases or with other signs of compromised health, exceeded 10% on many reefs and ranged to over 50% on some. Disease prevalence exceeded 10% on 20% of Caribbean reefs and 2.7% of Pacific reefs surveyed. Within the same coral families across oceans, prevalence of unhealthy colonies was higher and some diseases were more common at sites in the Caribbean than those in the Pacific. The effects of high disease prevalence are potentially extensive given that the most affected coral families, the acroporids, faviids and siderastreids, are among the major reef-builders at these sites. The poritids and agaricids stood out in the Caribbean as being the most resistant to disease, even though these families were abundant in our surveys. Regional warm temperature anomalies were strongly correlated with high disease prevalence. The levels of disease reported here will provide a much-needed local reference point against which to compare future change

Widespread local chronic stressors in Caribbean coastal habitats

Coastal ecosystems and the livelihoods they support are threatened by stressors acting at global and local scales. Here we used the data produced by the Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity program (CARICOMP), the longest, largest monitoring program in the wider Caribbean, to evidence local-scale (decreases in water quality) and global-scale (increases in temperature) stressors across the basin. Trend analyses showed that visibility decreased at 42% of the stations, indicating that local-scale chronic stressors are widespread. On the other hand, only 18% of the stations showed increases in water temperature that would be expected from global warming, partially reflecting the limits in detecting trends due to inherent natural variability of temperature data. Decreases in visibility were associated with increased human density. However, this link can be decoupled by environmental factors, with conditions that increase the flush of water, dampening the effects of human influence. Besides documenting environmental stressors throughout the basin, our results can be used to inform future monitoring programs, if the desire is to identify stations that provide early warning signals of anthropogenic impacts. All CARICOMP environmental data are now available, providing an invaluable baseline that can be used to strengthen research, conservation, and management of coastal ecosystems in the Caribbean basin.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR