CONTENTS
-
Description and status of
commonly recognized coral
diseases on the GBR
 Introduction
Black
Band Disease
White
Syndrome
Skeletal
Eroding Band
Brown Band
Skeletal
tumours
Atramentous
necrosis
Porites
Pinking
Vibrio
Induced Bleaching
References
Content
navigation
Research
 Coastal
processes
Conservation
& biodiversity
- Biodiversity
assessment
-
Environmental change
and impacts
- Status
and trends
Marine
biotechnology
Reef monitoring
 Index
Project information
Reef issues
Data
animations
Survey archives
Survey results
Reef
by name
Reef
by location
Biodiversity surveys
Cairns
fringing reefs
Resources
 ProjectNET
for schools
Links
to relevant sites
Research
plan 2007-11
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Coral Diseases
on the Great Barrier Reef
Patterns of distribution and changes
in abundance
of Hard Coral Disease
Vibrio Induced Bleaching
In recent years the GBR has experienced two mass coral bleaching
events, in 1998 and 2002. Though the primary cause of bleaching is
attributable to raised sea-surface temperatures39,40
other factors have been identified as inducing bleaching including
disease.
In the Mediterranean, bleaching in the coral Oculina patagonia
can occur as a result of infection by the bacterium Vibrio shaloi41,42,43,44,45.
Similarly in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea bleaching in the coral
Pocillopora damicornis is induced by the bacterium Vibrio
coralliilyticus46,47,48.
In both cases infection and subsequent bleaching are always
associated with elevated seawater temperatures47,49.
Though the infection has yet to be demonstrated on the GBR, the
possibility that Vibrio induced bleaching could occur on the
GBR remains an intriguing possibility.
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Image 12. Coral bleaching remains a serious threat to
the long term health of the Great Barrier Reef. Two large
scale bleaching events in 1998 and 2002 have been of
particular concern. Research has shown that disease can play a
role inducing bleaching, though this is yet to be demonstrated
on the GBR.
Photograph AIMS LTMP
Click here for a larger view
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Image 13.
Because of the role temperature plays in coral bleaching the
phenomenon has serious implications for coral reefs globally.
This photo shows a diver inspecting a wide spread bleaching
event on Lihou Reef in 2004. Lihou Reef is a National
(Australian) Nature Reserve managed by Federal Department of
the Environment and Heritage. It is located in the coral sea,
far from direct human influence.
Photograph AIMS LTMP
Click here for a larger view
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CONTENTS
Introduction | Black
Band Disease | White
Syndrome | Skeletal
Eroding Band
Brown Band | Skeletal
tumours | Atramentous
necrosis
Porites
Pinking | Vibrio
Induced Bleaching
References |
Content navigation
For further information contact
Ian Miller, AIMS
Telephone: +61 7 4753 4471
Email:
i.miller@aims.gov.au
December 18, 2008
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