Attributing mortality among drivers of population decline in Acropora palmata in the Florida Keys (USA)

Williams, Dana E.; Miller, Margaret W.

doi:10.1007/s00338-011-0847-y

Cited by 81 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Today WPX is common throughout the Caribbean [93][94][95]. Affected A. palmata populations are monitored extensively, and, when checked, S. marcescens is found (diagnosing acroporid serratiosis) in some, but not all disease cases [86,88,92,93,96].…”

Section: (D) Tissues and Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complementary approaches to diagnosing marine diseases: a union of the modern and the classic

Burge

Friedman

Getchell

et al. 2016

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Linking marine epizootics to a specific aetiology is notoriously difficult. Recent diagnostic successes show that marine disease diagnosis requires both modern, cutting-edge technology (e.g. metagenomics, quantitative real-time PCR) and more classic methods (e.g. transect surveys, histopathology and cell culture). Here, we discuss how this combination of traditional and modern approaches is necessary for rapid and accurate identification of marine diseases, and emphasize how sole reliance on any one technology or technique may lead disease investigations astray. We present diagnostic approaches at different scales, from the macro (environment, community, population and organismal scales) to the micro (tissue, organ, cell and genomic scales). We use disease case studies from a broad range of taxa to illustrate diagnostic successes from combining traditional and modern diagnostic methods. Finally, we recognize the need for increased capacity of centralized databases, networks, data repositories and contingency plans for diagnosis and management of marine disease.

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Section: (D) Tissues and Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complementary approaches to diagnosing marine diseases: a union of the modern and the classic

Burge

Friedman

Getchell

et al. 2016

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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show abstract

“…This is particularly important, as coral predators may be relatively more abundant per coral host than in previous decades when coral populations persisted at higher densities (i.e., the Allee effect; Knowlton, 2001). In the Florida Keys, snails per area of live coral tissue increased significantly from 2004 to 2010 primarily as a result of reduced abundances of coral tissue (Williams and Miller, 2012). Considering the significant decline in coral cover Caribbean-wide (Jackson et al, 2014), these results suggest that, today, corals in low-density stands may be more susceptible to predation following damaging disturbance events.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Three colony dimensions (length, width, and height) were averaged to calculate a mean dimension (cm), and then squared to provide an index of live tissue area (cm 2 ; see Williams and Miller, 2012). Colony dimensions were measured only for continuous spans of live tissue.…”

Section: Post-disturbance Acropora Palmata Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disease Prevalence and Snail Predation Associated with Swell-Generated Damage on the Threatened Coral, Acropora palmata (Lamarck)

et al. 2016

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Disturbances such as tropical storms cause coral mortality and reduce coral cover as a direct result of physical damage. Storms can be one of the most important disturbances in coral reef ecosystems, and it is crucial to understand their long-term impacts on coral populations. The primary objective of this study was to determine trends in disease prevalence and snail predation on damaged and undamaged colonies of the threatened coral species, Acropora palmata, following an episode of heavy ocean swells in the US Virgin Islands (USVI). At three sites on St. Thomas and St. John, colonies of A. palmata were surveyed monthly over 1 year following a series of large swells in March 2008 that fragmented 30-93% of colonies on monitored reefs. Post-disturbance surveys conducted from April 2008 through March 2009 showed that swell-generated damage to A. palmata caused negative indirect effects that compounded the initial direct effects of physical disturbance. During the 12 months after the swell event, white pox disease prevalence was 41% higher for colonies that sustained damage from the swells than for undamaged colonies (df = 207, p = 0.01) with greatest differences in disease prevalence occurring during warm water months. In addition, the corallivorous snail, Coralliophila abbreviata, was 46% more abundant on damaged corals than undamaged corals during the 12 months after the swell event (df = 207, p = 0.006).

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“…Today, at least one-third of species are threatened with extinction, and all 838 known reef-building coral species are assessed by CITES and the IUCN (Huang 2012;IUCN 2012). Thirty years ago, most reefs were considered robust, although there were pockets of unhealthy reefs associated with nearby, dense human populations (Wilkinson 2012;Williams 2012 healthiest. Yet global climate change is expected to make all reefs vulnerable to collapse in less than 50 years (Burke 2011).…”

Section: Endangered Coralsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stakeholder Perceptions and Preferences for Coral Reef Restoration and Sustainable Resource Management

Harper¹

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Professor Pallab Mozumder, Major ProfessorThe Florida Reef and associated human community form a unique socioecological system. While this system represents great value to society, it is exposed to high levels of vulnerability. Despite intense study of its elements, the system lacks conceptual integrity, its management is fragmented, and user valuation remains unclear.A survey using contingent valuation methods investigated stakeholders' attitudes and how much they are willing to pay for sustainable seafood, coral reef restoration, and research funding for coral reefs in southeastern Florida. Respondents expressed angst about climate change and reef conditions, and they connected reef degradation to land-based pollution and water quality. Regression analysis revealed status (income, education) as weak, indirect predictors of behavior, age as a moderating influence, and environmental and emotive factors as strong, direct predictors. One's relative attachment to ecosystems, such as coral reefs, is theorized as a motivation that displaces the expectations of traditional economic theory. iv The present investigation uses contingent valuation to assess preferences of residential reef users who live within the region adjacent to the coral reefs of Florida. TheFlorida Reef is one of the world's most popular coral reef systems in terms of tourism, and it is the only such ecosystem within the continental United States. Its popularity and its proximity to a large population are reflected in the ranking of the entire system as being under threat (Burke 2011).Although several relevant technical reports have been published within the past decade, sparse scientific literature addresses preferences and public perceptions of the Florida Reef. These reports reveal trends also appearing in the broader social science literature; namely, people lack an understanding of oceanic ecosystems; despite this knowledge deficit, they express support for oceanic conservation; and they are willing to pay more than current levies for the protection of coral reefs.The conception of the Florida Reef as one socio-ecological system is relatively new. In the academic arena, physical and social sciences traditionally have been segregated by discipline; likewise, the Florida Reef itself has been segregated into discontinuous segments to facilitate study. Mapping technology has enhanced an ability to portray both coral reef segments and the system as a whole; the first comprehensive, integrated GIS map of the Florida Reef was published the by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in 2013 (FWRI). Even the system's name is unclear, as the 3 scientific community uses "Florida Reef Tract" to refer to either the system or a northern sub-section. Hence, the current study avoids that term and favors adoption of the term "Florida Reef."Commonly associated with the Florida Keys, the Florida Reef forms an arc that parallels the Atlantic shoreline of southeastern Florida and extends north of Palm BeachCounty. This northern region lacks pr...

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Attributing mortality among drivers of population decline in Acropora palmata in the Florida Keys (USA)

Cited by 81 publications

References 38 publications

Complementary approaches to diagnosing marine diseases: a union of the modern and the classic

Complementary approaches to diagnosing marine diseases: a union of the modern and the classic

Disease Prevalence and Snail Predation Associated with Swell-Generated Damage on the Threatened Coral, Acropora palmata (Lamarck)

Stakeholder Perceptions and Preferences for Coral Reef Restoration and Sustainable Resource Management

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