Published By US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
Issued oltre 9 anni ago
Summary
Description
Quantitative coral disease assessments were conducted at 40 different U.S. Pacific coral islands, banks, and atolls, spanning more than 5000 km apart and over a 40 latitudinal gradient Distribution and abundance of disease were determined based on 2, 25m belt transects 26 wide at 326 sites, and ten broad diseases were identified, affecting 25 scleractinian genera. Pacificwide, the most geographically and taxonomically widespread diseases were bleaching and skeletal growth anomalies, detected at 65 islandsatolls and on 19 and 11 genera, respectively. Band diseases black band and banded fungal disease were rare 0.1 prevalence, with only two cases enumerated on Porites and Coscinaraea. Although Pacificwide mean prevalence was low, sitespecific hotspots occurred at Johnston, Kure, and Rose Atolls, French Frigate Shoals, and Guam. Prevalence patterns also varied among coral taxa, with only a few families being disproportionately affected by disease: Poritidae, Acroporidae, and Faviidae. Of potential concern is the presence of white syndrome at Johnston Atoll and French Frigate Shoals which can result in severe and rapid tissue loss, particularly on the tabular Acropora cytherea.