[Coral-List] SCTLD and temperature

Thu Jul 27 15:02:08 UTC 2023

In southeast Florida, the number of SCTLD lesions and corals with lesions are very much linked to temperature and nutrients. We are drafting several papers on this at the moment. We have currently treated more disease in the past 2 months than we treated all of last year.

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/11.%20Environmental%20and%20human%20drivers%20of%20stony%20coral%20tissue%20loss%20disease%20%28SCTLD%29%20incidence%20within%20the%20Southeast%20Florida%20Coral%20Reef%20Ecosystem%20Conservation%20Area%20Final%20Report_0.pdf

https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/10.%202022-2023%20SE%20FL%20ECA%20Reef-building-coral%20Disease%20Intervention%20and%20Preparation%20for%20Restoration_0.pdf

Abstract from 2023 AMLC:
Spatiotemporal environmental and human drivers affecting stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) in an endemic region.

Brian K. Walker1, Gareth J. Williams2 Greta S. Aeby3, Jeffrey A. Maynard4, David Whitall5, and Reagan Sharkey1
1 Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 N. Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL 33004; walkerb at nova.edu, 2 School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, LL59 5AB, UK; g.j.williams at bangor.ac.uk, ³Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL 34949,
4 SymbioSeas, 1114 Merchant Lane, Carolina Beach, NC, 28428, 5NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, 1305 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Spatiotemporal patterns of coral diseases on reefs are driven by a complex array of environmental, anthropogenic, and host-specific factors that affect pathogen virulence and host susceptibility.  As coral coverage continues to decline worldwide, identifying disease drivers will be key to designing effective local mitigation strategies and prioritize disease intervention resources minimize its impact. In southeast Florida, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has decimated coral populations and persists in the endemic region on intermediately susceptible species.  Monthly monitoring of Orbicella faveolata colonies showed that disease incidence varies temporally, with total infections highest during warm, wet season, and lowest in the dry season.  Effective disease interventions that halt lesion progression have provided the unique opportunity to explore spatiotemporal patterns of SCTLD incidence. Spatial and temporal statistical models were created to investigate the relationship of monthly SCTLD incidence on 44 large coral colonies (> 2 m diameter) to various abiotic environmental drivers (e.g., depth, seawater temperature, nutrient concentrations) and human drivers (e.g., density of septic tanks, outflow from the Inlet Contributing Areas (ICA), and distance to offshore outfall locations) over 34 months. Five predictors explained 60.6% of the model variation in the number of SCTLD lesions over time: mean temperature in the 90 days prior (36.7%), mean rainfall in the 90 (9%) and 30 (6.9%) days prior, the number of Hot Snap events in the 60 days prior (5.7%), and flow out of the ICA inlets over the previous 7 days (2.3%).  Analyses of reef water quality sites found that inlet flow, rainfall, and wind predictors explained 79% of the model variation of Orthophosphates and 55% of the variation in Nitrates. These results suggest that SCTLD incidence is exacerbated seasonally by excessive nutrients during increased rainfall and inlet flow rates in high temperatures.  Next steps are to identify the main nutrient sources.

Best regards,

Brian K. Walker | Research Program Director
GIS & Spatial Ecology Laboratory
Halmos College of Arts and Sciences
Nova Southeastern University
8000 N. Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL 33004
(954) 262-3675

Links:
Google Scholar
Coral Disease Intervention Storymap
3D Virtual Reality Videos
Coral Disease Intervention Dashboard
SE FL ECA Marine Planner
Publications

-----Original Message-----
From: Coral-List <coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> On Behalf Of Steve via Coral-List
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2023 8:00 AM
To: William Precht <william.precht at gmail.com>; Alina Szmant <alina at cisme-instruments.com>
Cc: John Ware via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] SCTLD spread by butterfly fish.

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Hi all,

With water temperatures where they are in Florida, it does seem like a worst-case scenario is upon us, but water temperatures don't seem to be driving this disease, at least that appears to be the case for Bonaire.

My question is, is it possible to keep SCTLD from spreading further? Or is that not a primary concern?

There are some Caribbean reefs not yet affected (Little Cayman & Brac come to mind) and then there's the potential threat of this disease spreading further impacting coral reefs around the world.

Doesn't this put pressure and raise the stakes for finding out more about the mechanisms by which SCTLD spreads even with all our other problems suddenly gaining pronounced urgency?

Regards,

Steve Mussman

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On 7/25/23, 4:39 PM, William Precht <william.precht at gmail.com> wrote:

Alina, thank you for saying what many of us thought when we read the post earlier today.

Looks like we have an unfolding catastrophe this summer with water temperatures in Florida and in the Caribbean where they are so early in the summer.

We have more than enough to handle and deal with.

B

On Tue, Jul 25, 2023 at 2:06 PM Alina Szmant via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

Thanks Steve for sharing the link to this paper, which I just read (carefully, including looking at each figure and table). There is no conclusion by these authors that the foureye butterflyfish had any role in prevalence or spread of disease (their words). Because the fishes seem to be attracted to decaying tissue there was a correlation (but no proof of causation) of abundance of the fishes with diseased corals. They did not find any increase in diseased coral heads where there was higher abundance of this species. Thus once again, over-zealous people are jumping the gun, misinterpreting the literature by not reading the fine print, and making suggestions for radical actions that are poorly founded. There is enough misinformation going around out there that contributors to Coral-List should be careful to not start stampedes...

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-----Original Message-----

From: Coral-List <coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> On Behalf Of Steve Mussman via Coral-List

Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2023 10:31 AM

To: John Ware via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>

Cc: coral list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>

Subject: Re: [Coral-List] SCTLD spread by butterfly fish.

Hi John,

I believe this was the paper suggesting that butterflyfish may be playing a role in spreading SCTLD.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00338-020-01986-8

I did not personally interpret its findings as clearly establishing the fact that butterflyfish are primary vectors of this disease. I do think the paper suggests that various benthic dwelling forms of marine life should be considered as possible vectors of this particular coral disease.

Regards,

Steve

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On 7/25/23, 9:27 AM, John Ware via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

Dear List,

Apparently I have been missing something. Can someone suggest

available, peer-reviewed papers demonstrating that butterfly fish are

spreading SCTLD or other coral diseases.

Thanks in advance,

John

--

John R. Ware PhD

810 Maderia Cir.

Tallahassee, FL 32312

Cell: 928-595-0664

jware at erols.com

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