Abstract
In November 2004, a high prevalence of coral disease was observed at several sites around Navassa, an uninhabited Caribbean island between Haiti and Jamaica. At least fifteen mounding and foliaceous scleractinian species were affected with ‘white disease’ signs. Coral disease incidence was observed to be absent in quantitative surveys in 2002, but in 2004 average prevalence (i.e., % of colonies) of active disease ranged up to 15% and an additional 19% prevalence of colonies with patterns of recent mortality consistent with disease. Large and/or Montastraea spp. colonies were disproportionately affected and the anticipated loss of these large, reef-building colonies will impact coral community structure. One or more potential factors may influence the initiation and persistence of disease outbreak conditions at Navassa including recent hurricane disturbance, regional patterns of increasing disease impact in deep or remote Caribbean reefs, or vectoring of disease by the corallivorous worm, Hermodice carunculata.
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Acknowledgments
This study was made possible by funding from the NOAA-Coral Reef Conservation Program and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, with partnership of the John G. Shedd Aquarium. We acknowledge assistance by all cruise participants as well as the crew of the R/V Coral Reef II. L. Johnston and B.Mason assisted in analyses. Activities were conducted under Navassa National Wildlife Refuge Special Use Permit #41529-12 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Communicated by Biology Editor H.R. Lasker.
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Miller, M.W., Williams, D.E. Coral disease outbreak at Navassa, a remote Caribbean island. Coral Reefs 26, 97–101 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-006-0165-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-006-0165-y