Evaluating coral health in Hawaii
Work TM and Rameyer RA. 2001. Evaluating coral health in Hawaii. US Fish and Wildlife Service. Honolulu, HI
We evaluated methods, including histology and pigment analysis, to assess health of corals in two locations in Hawaii (Kona and Kaneohe Bay). Methods for fixation and processing of corals were optimized for corals in Hawaii. Normal histology and pigment profiles were described for common species of Hawaiian corals. The most frequently seen lesions were growth anomalies or parasite infection in Porites sp., and these were seen in the Kona coast and Kaneohe Bay. Miscellaneous lesions including invasion by algae, focal bleaching and fungal infections were also seen in Pocillopora meandrina. While lesions were seen in Hawaiian corals, there does not appear to be the epizootic disease observed in other areas (e.g. the Caribbean). However, there is a clear need to refine survey methods for assessment of prevalence of disease in coral populations and to further refine diagnostic methods and assays.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Work, Thierry; Rameyer, Robert
- Date of Issue
- 2001-10-02
- Publisher
- US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Units
- PACN
- Keywords
- Aquatic Science, Coral Bleaching, Coral Disease, Hawaii, Invertebrates, Kaneohe Bay, Kona Coast, necrosis, Nematodes, Oahu