Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Coral reefs host some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, sustaining thousands of species of corals, fish, crustaceans, and other marine organisms. However, due to overfishing and climate change, coral reef health has been declining rapidly worldwide. One major contributor to coral mortality worldwide is coral disease, recently increasing especially in the Florida and Caribbean waters. Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), which was first identified in Florida in 2014, has rapidly spread into the Caribbean and poses the greatest present disease threat to corals in the Caribbean. We investigated coral disease rates in multiple shallow reef sites on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, paying particular attention to SCTLD. Data collection involved placing ten meter transects along a reef and taking a video and photographs along the line, as well as general disease surveys of the area. The imaging was then analyzed to determine coral cover, coral type, disease cover, and disease type, compiling these results to find which diseases are most prevalent and if certain corals are more susceptible. SCTLD was highly prevalent among the corals of San Salvador and generally indiscriminate in the corals it affected.White Pox, Black Band, and White Band diseases were less prevalent but affected specific corals. The disease rate appears higher than it has been at these same study sites in previous years. This information is important to future management of newly established national parks designed to protect coral reefs around San Salvador Island.
Recommended Citation
Ford, Micah, "209-High Microbial Infection Prevalence on Corals Jeopardizes Reef Health around San Salvador Island, The Bahamas." (2024). GREAT Day Posters. 56.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2024/posters-2024/56
209-High Microbial Infection Prevalence on Corals Jeopardizes Reef Health around San Salvador Island, The Bahamas.
Coral reefs host some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, sustaining thousands of species of corals, fish, crustaceans, and other marine organisms. However, due to overfishing and climate change, coral reef health has been declining rapidly worldwide. One major contributor to coral mortality worldwide is coral disease, recently increasing especially in the Florida and Caribbean waters. Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), which was first identified in Florida in 2014, has rapidly spread into the Caribbean and poses the greatest present disease threat to corals in the Caribbean. We investigated coral disease rates in multiple shallow reef sites on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, paying particular attention to SCTLD. Data collection involved placing ten meter transects along a reef and taking a video and photographs along the line, as well as general disease surveys of the area. The imaging was then analyzed to determine coral cover, coral type, disease cover, and disease type, compiling these results to find which diseases are most prevalent and if certain corals are more susceptible. SCTLD was highly prevalent among the corals of San Salvador and generally indiscriminate in the corals it affected.White Pox, Black Band, and White Band diseases were less prevalent but affected specific corals. The disease rate appears higher than it has been at these same study sites in previous years. This information is important to future management of newly established national parks designed to protect coral reefs around San Salvador Island.