How are climate and marine biological outbreaks functionally linked?

African dust is an unlikely source of Aspergillus sydowii, the causative agent of sea fan disease

“…The pattern of increased African dust since the 1970s correlates strongly with the observed increase in disease outbreaks in Caribbean coral reef communities (Hayes et al 2001). There are several hypothesized mechanisms by which an increase in African dust could result in an increase in coral disease.…”

“…The dramatic rise in coral disease since the 1970s (Harvell et al 1999, Ward & Lafferty 2004) is an area of considerable attention, as the causes behind the origin and spread of marine disease remain largely unknown. One factor that has been suggested to affect both the host and the pathogen is the input of wind-borne dust into Caribbean ecosystems (Shinn et al 2000, Hayes et al 2001, Garrison et al 2003. The transport of dust from Africa to the Atlantic and Caribbean via trade winds has long been known by mariners (Gorbushina et al 2007), and was first quantified in the late 1960s (Prospero 1968, Prospero et al 1970.…”

“…African dust is known to enhance deposition of nutrients to the Atlantic (Prospero et al 1996, Arimoto et al 2003, including iron, a limiting micronutrient in many marine systems (Jickells et al 2005). Local enrichment of iron as a result of dust deposition may facilitate pathogen growth and spread (Hayes et al 2001) or cause declines in coral health, since corals normally live in oligotrophic waters. Besides nutrients, African dust also deposits organic pollutants (van Dijk & Guicherit 1999, Erel et al 2006, Garrison et al 2006, which may impair host immunity and lead to an increase in disease (Garrison et al 2003, Garrison et al 2006.…”

Phylogenetic and Chemical Diversity of Three Chemotypes of Bloom-Forming Lyngbya Species ( Cyanobacteria : Oscillatoriales ) from Reefs of Southeastern Florida

“…confervoides via morphological measurements and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, produces a diverse array of bioactive peptides and depsipeptides. Our results indicate that the other two Lyngbya species produce either microcolins A and B or curacin D and dragonamides C and D. Results from screening for the biosynthetic capacity for curacin production among the three Lyngbya chemotypes in this study correlated that capacity with the presence of curacin D. Our work on these bloom-forming Lyngbya species emphasizes the significant phylogenetic and chemical diversity of the marine cyanobacteria on southern Florida reefs and identifies some of the genetic components of those differences.Marine harmful algal blooms are increasing in frequency and severity as a result of eutrophication in the marine environment, changes in global climate patterns, and increased monitoring and use of marine habitats (22,23,60). The genus Lyngbya consists of filamentous cyanobacteria that cause periodic, but in some cases long-lasting, blooms in shallow (usually Ͻ30 m) tropical and subtropical marine and estuarine environments (42,43).…”

Ecological Shifts along the Florida Reef Tract: The Past as a Key to the Future

“…Beginning in the 1970s and continuing through today, coral diseases or disease-like syndromes have appeared in other coral species throughout the Caribbean (Antonius 1977;Edmunds 1991;Nagelkerken et al 1997;Santavy et al 1999;Garzon-Ferreira et al 2001), Bermuda (Garrett and Ducklow 1975), and the Florida Keys (Dustan and Halas 1987;Kuta and Richardson 1996;Richardson et al 1998;Santavy et al 2001;Patterson et al 2002). Other environmental stressors such as pollution, increased nutrients, increased iron supply, African dust, and temperature may be associated with coral disease outbreaks, yet no firm connections have been established (Shinn 1996(Shinn , 2001Epstein et al 1998;Hayes and Goreau 1998;Harvell et al 1999;Hayes et al 2001;Jackson et al 2001;Richardson and Aronson 2002;Bruno et al 2004). Antonius (1977) described a white syndrome in acroporid corals, which he termed shut-down reaction (SDR).…”