'%Healthy Reefs for Healthy People - A Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Well-being in the Mesoamerican Reef Region%'%by Melanie McField and Patricia Kramer%

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Usefulness

devastating. Disease prevalence varied by depth and

latitude (which corresponds to the latitudinal gradient

Coral disease is an important signal of coral condition,

of excessive temperature and hurricane waves, both

often associated with visible tissue mortality.

higher in the southern half of the ecoregion).

Susceptibility to specific diseases varies among

Disease prevalence in summer 1999 (percent of

coral species and with depth. Causes for most coral

colonies affected) was:

diseases have not been identified.

Fore reefs: Honduras (10%), Belize (5%) and Mexico

Coral disease is not an early warning signal, but disease

(3%);

occurrence can be extremely useful in enhancing our

understanding of the relative causes of reduced coral

Shallow reefs: Belize (6%), Mexico (3%) and Honduras

cover.

(2%)13.

Tissue mortality areas must be examined closely, as

Some localized reefs had very high disease incidence,

diseases can resemble other sources of mortality,

reaching from 10 to 50% of corals infected (e.g.,

particularly predation by snails and fish. Identifying

Bacalar Chico, Cay Caulker and South Water Caye,

a disease requires expertise, and field guides have

Belize; Utila and West End, Roatan, Honduras)13.

been developed in an effort to clarify and standardize

disease names21,22.

The MBRS Synoptic Monitoring Program (Mexico and

Belize, all habitats, 2004/05) had an average disease

Status

prevalence of 0.37% of colonies affected.

Coral disease prevalence varies year to year. In 2001,

Data Needs

coral disease prevalence averaged 3% in the MAR

(i.e., of the total colonies surveyed, approximately 3%

Additional information is needed on the causes of

were affected to some extent by disease). In 2000, it

diseases and the long-term effects of disease on

averaged 8%, with 9% prevalence on fore reefs and

coral survivorship.

4% on reef crests.

Little information is available to guide potential

Following the 1998 MAR bleaching event,

intervention during disease outbreaks. Additional

unprecedented levels of diseases and associated

strategies need to be developed to help minimize

mortality were observed on Montastraea annularis,

human impacts and proactively reach disease

affecting 10-22% of colonies in many reefs13. White

benchmarks and targets.

plague on fore reefs was especially notable and

Melanie McField / WWF