[Coral-List] Caribbean Acropora disease resilience today?

[John DeBuysser]

Hello Coral-List,

I have a question from reading the "NOAA plan to save coral reefs"
discussion from earlier, and I am sorry if I missed the answer in that
dialogue. If NOAA's Mission: Iconic Reefs project goes ahead, we know the
planted corals will face the gauntlet of prevailing oceanic conditions.
Climate change likely will not be solved within this year, and of course
would be the greatest stressor. But I am curious about a smaller topic-
Caribbean Acropora diseases. Is White Band and White Plague still a threat
for A. cervicornis and A. palmata? Phase 1 of the NOAA project relies on A.
palmata because they are not susceptible to SCTLD, but would it be just as
likely that White Plague or White Band would resurge as the local Acropora
population size/density increases? And for a more conceptual question: do
you see Caribbean Acroporids ever regaining their prevalence as a reef
builder, or are new species going to need to fill this role?

Best fishes,
John DeBuysser