Coral Diseases

Improved Essays
Over the past decade the accounts of various coral diseases have been on the rise which had lead to the decimation of keystone species of corals throughout mainly the world’s tropical oceans. Since the mid-1990s, 18 coral diseases affecting at least 150 scleractinian, gorgonian, and hydrozoan zooxanthellate species have been described in the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific (Sutherland et al. 2004). Most of these diseases have been caused by bacterial, fungal, and protist type pathogens as well the increased sea temperatures, pollution, and eutrophication. Sutherland et al. says that it is estimated that worldwide 27% of coral reefs have been lost with 16% at serious risk and the corals exhibiting diseases have increased 218% between 1996 and 2000 …show more content…
(2006) there have been very few primary pathogens identified which leads to our current understanding of coral disease and progression to be very limited. Scientists have to go beyond the external symptoms of diseases to gain accurate diagnosis’ and gain further understanding which could lead to a decrease of devastation to the coral communities. The relationships between coral diseases and the human activities that impact them are very important since the number and prevalence of diseases are increasing which indicates a general decline in the marine environment (Green and Bruckner 2000). If we had better knowledge of the issues that the marine environments face then we would have better understanding on how to assist in the conservation of the coral species that are being affected by these spreading diseases. WBD has had a hand in changing the structure of the Caribbean reefs which has 97% of its locations being disease hot spots but most observed diseases are not genera specific like WBD is (Green and Bruckner 2000). If we had better knowledge of the issues that the marine environments face then we would have better understanding on how to assist in the conservation of the coral species that are being affected by these spreading diseases. WBD has had a hand in changing the structure of the Caribbean reefs which has 97% of its locations being disease hot spots but most observed diseases are not genera specific like WBD is (Weil et al. 2006). Most of the diseases were in areas of high human impact on the environment as well which indicates that the disturbances of reefs could go hand in hand with the coral diseases affecting so much of the Caribbean and

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    When the corals' health are in jeopardy, the health and overall well being of all the organisms that rely on them are at risk as well. Many organisms, along with their babies and eggs, will be exposed to predators if they do not have healthy coral reefs to depend on for shelter. Predators will have easier access to their prey if they are ever without a home, and this will result in a decline in population of the consumers lower in the trophic levels (little fish are wiped out, and predators overpopulate). If there were ever a decline in the prey population, all of the organisms higher up in the food chain would be killed off as well, since there wouldn't be enough food to keep the higher trophic levels healthy and…

    • 1875 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Papahānaumokuākea Essay

    • 583 Words
    • 3 Pages

    On a global scale, climate change has the potential to accelerate coral bleaching related to rises in sea level temperatures and ocean acidification that is attributed to increased levels of carbon dioxide (Aeby et al. 2003; Kenyon and Brainard…

    • 583 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    However, about 40 percent of the 16 percent of the reefs in the world that were seriously damaged in 1998, due to coral bleaching from El Niño, are either recovering well or have fully recovered. Despite that, since 1998 coral bleaching has become even more severe. Every region has now experienced severe coral bleaching, causing much bleach-induced mortality (see figure 3) (Shah). Zooanthellae, which are what give coral their beautiful colors, live on corals and provide them with 95 percent of their energy for growth, reproduction, and feeding, making them key in coral’s survival. With climate change, this causes the water to warm up, making corals go into stress, which causes the zooxanthellae to desert the coral, which in turn causes the bleached appearance (Cesar, et al.).…

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Great Barrier Reef

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is found off the northeastern coast of Queensland, Australia, in the Coral Sea of the Pacific Ocean. Scientists believe that the coral reef structure was formed 60,000 years ago, but deteriorated due to climate & sea level changes. However, the coral reefs grew over the old structure. The current GBR is about 6,000 - 8,000 years old. The reef’s abiotic factors include sunlight, soil, water, climate, & temperature.…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Overfishing In The 1800s

    • 1403 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The catch to overfishing is that it is not only detrimental to our marine ecosystem, but also harmful to the very fishing industries that cause this myriad of issues. The problem is that this issue began with the overfishing of whales for blubber in the early 1800s, before the repercussions of such activity was readily foreseeable. The issue eventually escalated in a spiral of overfishing of multiple other species with the introduction and improvement of fishing methods in various forms; most predominantly targeted were herring, cod, and sardine. However, as there were certainly multiple incentives for overfishing at the time, there are even more incentives for overfishing today. These include the desire to earn money, the urge for more mass…

    • 1403 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    For 16 years, scientists wondered just what had happened with corals in the Florida Keys. In this time period, over half of the corals had perished. They later discovered that the greatest decline was in elkhorn coral. Finally, research showed that the massive coral disappearances were caused by a disease by the name of white pox. The scientists have solved the elkhorn coral mystery using the scientific method - by making observations, conducting experiments, and drawing conclusions.…

    • 404 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sewage and untreated wastewater carry a deadly bacteria and pathogen that can infect and kill corals. Hotels and resorts can discharge untreated sewage and wastewater into the ocean, creating a growth of algae creating a competition for space with corals. Dredging activities to make marinas or deep-water channels causes sensitive habitats to be destroyed or disturbed and from the waste of the dumping in the ocean. Research shows that humans in fact contribute a lot to the destruction of the coral reefs and is an issue that needs to be resolved in a short matter of time. There are many possible ways to protect, but…

    • 1378 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Our impacts, starting with pollution, which leads to the emission of greenhouse gases, which leads to irregular climate change and increased temperatures. This has already been the cause of mass coral bleaching and it is only predicted to worsen. Coastal building increases the occurrence of nutrient run-off from construction and chemicals and other toxins. The increased interest in the exotic pet trade damages the coral reefs when trappers usually are careless and will trample or bang on the coral with sticks to get the fish to come out. Over fishing disrupts the balance of this ecosystem and the food chain can be impaired as well.…

    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Marine ecosystems and organisms are more sensitive to temperature change than land ecosystems and organisms. The most vulnerable to temperature change is corals. Corals tend to bleach, or eject their symbiotic algae, at a slight temperature rise. When corals bleach, it slows their growth and makes them more vulnerable to disease, which can lead to a reef die-off (“Sea Temperature Rise”). If corals bleach too often, they are more likely to starve, shrink, and die.…

    • 1282 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Between 1800 and 1994, the oceans had absorbed around 48 percent of the total amount of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels (IPCC, 2014). Therefore, the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean would have increased considerably since then, and with the increased production of carbonic acid which releases bicarbonate and hydrogen ions, the amount of carbonate ions which are necessary in the creation of coral shells and skeletons decrease significantly. (Australian Government, n.d.) Therefore, more acidic seawater impacts coral significantly, dissolving their shells and skeletons, and hindering their ability to absorb calcium carbonate. Ocean acidification not only impacts coral and the animals that rely on coral as their main food source, but the animals that make calcium carbonate shells such as snails and clams (How does climate change affect the reefs?,…

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Introduction: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR), one of the world’s most precious marine ecosystems, has been deteriorating due to poor water quality (Kroon et al., 2016). One of the main reasons for this substantial decline in water quality over recent decades is agricultural runoff of nitrogen, pesticides/ herbicides and sediment (Figure 1). In fact, the water quality is most affected in the inshore areas in the southern and central regions near the most intensive agriculture. The impacts are biophysical in their effects on the marine animal and plants of the Reef. For example, coral cover declined about 50 percent from 1985-2013 (Brodie et al., 2013, p.2).…

    • 1607 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    ). The symbionts are photosynthetic organisms, which allows them to make their own nutrients to provide nourishment to themselves and the coral. The coral, in turn, provides the zooxanthellae with carbon dioxide which undergoes chemical degradation to produce metabolic fuels and nutrients (Yamashita et al. 2014). The expulsion of zooxanthellae is not immediately fatal for the coral, but it does remove their source of nutrition, which often proves to be lethal for the coral in the long-term (Adam et al. 2013).…

    • 81 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Sixty genera of coral have a symbiotic relationship with the algae zooxanthellae. Only some deepwater and cold water corals can survive without them. This symbiotic relationship benefits both organisms,the zooxanthellae provides the coral with glycerol, glucose and alanine and the coral provides the zooxanthellae with nitrogen and protection against predators. The degree to which the organisms depend on one another vary between species. The zooxanthellae algae gives the coral a yellow-brown or dark brown colour.…

    • 262 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Ocean Acidification Essay

    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 5 Works Cited

    Increased ocean acidification isn’t the only thing affecting the ocean, but it is very problematic because it erodes aragonite which is a mineral of calcium carbonate. In other words it kills corals and causes the hard exoskeleton to erode. Action needs to be taken to ensure the survival of corals and the creatures that rely on coral reefs to survive. Coral reefs are sources of food for millions of people, but also are sources of medicines. As coral reefs disappear so do the organisms that are mutualistic to it.…

    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 5 Works Cited
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Coral Bleaching Essay

    • 1472 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Coral reefs are diverse underwater ecosystems composed of small animals known as coral polyps, the skeletons of dead corals, and the various plants and animals that take refuge in the rich environment they produce. Sadly, the world 's coral reefs are dying. Ocean acidification, rising water temperatures, and disruption in the balance of sea life combine to form a lethal threat to these beautiful natural wonders. But what is really killing coral reefs? We are.…

    • 1472 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays