Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

By Shelly Krueger, Florida Sea Grant Agent for Monroe County Extension

In the Florida Keys, we are fortunate to be next to the third largest barrier reef in the world! The coral reefs in our backyard are called the Florida Reef Tract, which extends from Martin County through the Florida Keys and out to the Dry Tortugas. Coral reefs are often referred to as “rainforests of the sea” because they support a rich and diverse web of life in the world’s oceans. 

Even though coral reefs cover less than 1% of the seafloor, they are extremely important for food and fishing, tourism, coastal protection, and a source for many human medicines.  Unfortunately, coral reefs are under direct threat from many different sources, including land-based sources of pollution, sedimentation from dredging, and warming temperatures.  Reefs worldwide all face these threats, and Florida’s Reef Tract is no different.  The biggest threat today to the Florida Reef Tract is an outbreak of a devastating coral disease that has been active in Miami since 2014. This disease event has affected 22 species of reef-building stony corals, and in some areas, have drastically affected the abundance of many large, slow-growing coral species.

The disease is called Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, and the cause is unknown although it is suspected to be a bacterial infection.  Since this disease event is unprecedented in scale and duration, more than 45 partners have gathered together for a multi-faceted response effort. This effort includes research, monitoring, management, treatment strategies, preservation, education and outreach. The University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Florida Sea Grant have joined the Community Engagement team, and lead the charge in creating a disease response training for citizen scientist SCUBA divers. The agents created instructional materials and have begun to train citizen scientists how to identify the top-affected corals, identify the disease, and teach a basic monitoring technique that will increase the observer network underwater.

These trainings will serve a critical role moving forward, as there are still unaffected reef areas below Looe Key through Key West and Dry Tortugas.  Citizen scientist SCUBA divers will assist to monitor the progression of the disease, as well as monitor recovery in areas where the disease has already moved through.  If you want to participate in the citizen scientist surveillance program, please contact our office at (305) 292-4501 or [email protected].

 

An Equal Opportunity Institution. UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Single copies of UF/IFAS Extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publication) are available free to Florida residents from county UF/IFAS Extension offices.

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