The Emergence and Initial Impact of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) in the United States Virgin Islands

被引:51
|
作者
Brandt, Marilyn E. [1 ]
Ennis, Rosmin S. [1 ]
Meiling, Sonora S. [1 ]
Townsend, Joseph [1 ,2 ]
Cobleigh, Kathryn [1 ]
Glahn, Adam [1 ]
Quetel, Jason [1 ,3 ]
Brandtneris, Viktor [1 ]
Henderson, Leslie M. [4 ]
Smith, Tyler B. [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Virgin Isl, Ctr Marine & Environm Studies, St Thomas, VI 00802 USA
[2] US Virgin Isl Dept Planning & Nat Resources, Div Coastal Zone Management, St Thomas, VI USA
[3] Caribbean Ocean Restorat Educ Fdn, St Thomas, VI USA
[4] NOAA, CSS Inc, Off Coastal Management, Christiansted, VI USA
基金
美国国家科学基金会;
关键词
stony coral tissue loss disease; coral disease; susceptibility; Caribbean; coral reefs; ACROPORA-PALMATA; REEF HEALTH; ST-THOMAS;
D O I
10.3389/fmars.2021.715329
中图分类号
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要
Coral communities in the Caribbean face a new and deadly threat in the form of the highly virulent multi-host stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). In late January of 2019, a disease with signs and characteristics matching that of SCTLD was found affecting a reef off the coast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Identification of its emergence in the USVI provided the opportunity to document the initial evolution of its spatial distribution, coral species susceptibility characteristics, and its comparative impact on coral cover at affected and unaffected coral reef locations. Re-assessments at sentinel sites and long-term monitoring locations were used to track the spread of the disease, assess species affected, and quantify its impact. The disease was initially limited to the southwest of St. Thomas for several months, then spread around the island and to the neighboring island of St. John to the east. Differences in disease prevalence among species were similar to reports of SCTLD from other regions. Highly affected species included Colpophyllia natans, Eusmilia fastigiata, Montastraea cavernosa, Orbicella spp., and Pseudodiploria strigosa. Dendrogyra cylindrus and Meandrina meandrites were also highly affected but showed more variability in disease prevalence, likely due to initial low abundances and the rapid loss of colonies due to disease. Siderastrea spp. were less affected and showed lower prevalence. Species previously reported as unaffected or data deficient that were found to be affected by SCTLD included Agaricia spp., Madracis spp., and Mycetophyllia spp. We also observed multi-focal lesions at SCTLD-affected sites on colonies of Porites astreoides, despite that poritids have previously been considered low or not susceptible to SCTLD. Loss of coral cover due to acute tissue loss diseases, which were predominantly SCTLD, was significant at several monitoring locations and was more impactful than previous mass bleaching events at some sites. There are no signs that the USVI SCTLD outbreak is abating, therefore it is likely that this disease will become widespread across the U.S. Caribbean and British Virgin Islands in the near future.
引用
收藏
页数:15
相关论文
共 39 条
  • [21] Similarities and Differences Between Two Deadly Caribbean Coral Diseases: White Plague and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
    Croquer, Aldo
    Weil, Ernesto
    Rogers, Caroline S.
    FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 2021, 8
  • [22] Impacts of stony coral tissue loss disease on the persistence of Caribbean cleaner gobies
    Budd, Kayla A.
    Sikkel, Paul C.
    Brandt, Marilyn E.
    Costa, Sophia V.
    Smith, Tyler B.
    Nemeth, Richard S.
    FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 2024, 11
  • [23] Fine Scale Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Outbreak Within the Lower Florida Keys
    Williams, Sara D.
    Walter, Cory S.
    Muller, Erinn M.
    FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 2021, 8
  • [24] Effects of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Outbreak on Coral Communities and the Benthic Composition of Cozumel Reefs
    Estrada-Saldivar, Nuria
    Quiroga-Garcia, Blanca A.
    Perez-Cervantes, Esmeralda
    Rivera-Garibay, Omar O.
    Alvarez-Filip, Lorenzo
    FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 2021, 8
  • [25] Effectiveness of topical antibiotics in treating corals affected by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
    Neely, Karen L.
    Macaulay, Kevin A.
    Hower, Emily K.
    Dobler, Michelle A.
    PEERJ, 2020, 8
  • [26] Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in Florida Is Associated With Disruption of Host Zooxanthellae Physiology
    Landsberg, Jan H.
    Kiryu, Yasunari
    Peters, Esther C.
    Wilson, Patrick W.
    Perry, Noretta
    Waters, Yvonne
    Maxwell, Kerry E.
    Huebner, Lindsay K.
    Work, Thierry M.
    FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 2020, 7
  • [27] The Influence of Foureye Butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus) and Symbiodiniaceae on the Transmission of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
    Titus, Kara
    O'Connell, Lauren
    Matthee, Kristiaan
    Childress, Michael
    FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 2022, 9
  • [28] Connecting the Dots: Transmission of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease From the Marquesas to the Dry Tortugas
    Dobbelaere, Thomas
    Holstein, Daniel M.
    Muller, Erinn M.
    Gramer, Lewis J.
    McEachron, Lucas
    Williams, Sara D.
    Hanert, Emmanuel
    FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 2022, 9
  • [29] Stony coral tissue loss disease accelerated shifts in coral composition and declines in reef accretion potential in the Florida Keys
    Toth, Lauren T.
    Courtney, Travis A.
    Colella, Michael A.
    Ruzicka, Rob R.
    FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 2023, 10
  • [30] Investigating the link between the Port of Miami dredging and the onset of the stony coral tissue loss disease epidemics
    Dobbelaere, Thomas
    Holstein, Daniel M.
    Gramer, Lewis J.
    McEachron, Lucas
    Hanert, Emmanuel
    MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN, 2024, 207