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Macroecological relationships between coral species’ traits and disease potential

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Abstract

Coral disease is a growing problem for reef corals and a primary driver of reef degradation. Incidences of coral disease on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are increasing; however, our understanding of differences among species in their potential for contracting disease is poor. In this study, we integrate observations of coral disease on the GBR from the primary literature as well as morphological, ecological and biogeographical traits of coral species that have been hypothesised to influence “disease potential.” Most of the examined traits influence species’ disease potential when considered alone. However, when all traits are analysed together, diversity of predators, geographical range size and characteristic local abundance are the primary predictors of disease potential. Biases associated with species’ local abundance and phylogeny are tested but do not overpower relationships. This large-scale macroecological evaluation of coral disease provides insights into species-level traits that drive disease susceptibility.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Juan Armando Sánchez for helpful input about conducting the phylogenetic analysis. We thank the Andrew Allen and Melanie Bishop for analytical advice, and Andrew Baird, Simon Davy, and three anonymous reviewers for insightful manuscript reviews. The study was supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant to JSM (DP0987892).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia

    M. Díaz & J. Madin

  2. Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina (BIOMMAR), Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia

    M. Díaz

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  1. M. Díaz
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Correspondence to M. Díaz.

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Communicated by Biology Editor Dr. Andrew Baird

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Díaz, M., Madin, J. Macroecological relationships between coral species’ traits and disease potential. Coral Reefs 30, 73–84 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-010-0668-4

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