Coral reef pathology: A review
Antonius A. 1981. Coral reef pathology: A review. Proceedings of the Fourth International Coral Reef Symposium, Manila. 2:3-6
Besides direct impact of various kinds, four different coral diseases are known today to be responsible for coral mortality. They are 1) bacterial infections, 2) algal infections (equal black band disease), 3) white band disease, and 4) shut-down-reaction. The former two as well as the latter two have certain characteristics in common. Bacterial infections take place when corals protect themselves against outside stress by a layer of mucus which, being a glycopeptide, can be used by a wide variety of marine bacteria as a source of nutrients. The resulting tremendously high rate of maicrobial activity, including Desulfovibrio and Beggiatoa, reduces oxygen at the coral surface to zero, causing death of the coral. Algal infections by the cyanophyte Oscillatoria submembranacea, although usually accompanied by the same bacteria, are not dependent on mucus. They occur on healthy corals in healthy reefs. They are usually found in the form of a dark band of algal material (black band disease), surrounding and constantly enlarging an area of denuded coral skeleton. White band diseases, also occurring on healthy corals, work much in the same way as algal infections, but do not show any accumulation of destructive agents. They appear as a simple interface across a coral colony, separating living tissue from white skeleton, advancing up to several millimeters per day. Shut-down-reactions could be described as white band diseases in very rapid motion (plus or minus 10 cm/h), but they occur only on corals under considerable stress. No infections appear to be responsible for the latter two phenomena which seem to be purely physiological reactions. Abstract provided by the author.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Antonius, Arnfried
- Units
- BUIS
- Keywords
- Algae, Bacteria, Beggiatoa, Black band disease, Coral Reef, Desulfovibrio, Diseases, Infection, Mortality, Oscillatoria submembranacea, Pathogen, Pathology, Reaction, White band disease