I'm posting the lecture here

[Eric Borneman]

I don't know what to do...there will be uploads eventually, but in the meantime, here is this weeks lecture in parts.

Week 9
Coral Diseases

Objectives:

Know the various coral diseases and their etiology
Know what comprises disease and non-disease events

Required reading:

Aquarium Corals
367-398

PowerPoint Presentation by Borneman http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mccarty_and_peters/coraldis.htm http://www.wcmc.org.uk/marine/coraldis/
Coral Diseases

Introduction

There is no reading material in EIS this week because at the time of the writing (only a few years ago), there was no real study of coral diseases in the Pacific. Although Arnfried Antonius had identified coral disease in the area, and in the Red Sea, no one was investigating it. This has changed since then, but because of the widespread disease in the Caribbean, most research was being concentrated in that area. As it stands, coral disease research is happening both slowly and quickly…quickly in that the state of knowledge is changing rapidly, slowly in that not much progress is being made in stopping or fully understanding coral diseases.

Coral disease, of all the sections of this class, is the area in which I have the most extensive knowledge. I have so much information and so much I want to share, but realize that you all cannot possibly get inside my head or necessarily share my passion in this subject. I am left with trying to assimilate a broad base of information for you all to gain familiarity with the state of knowledge. I am including a reference list at the end of this lecture for those of you who want to delve deeper, and I am also linking several sites into this text that I would urge you all to explore and read.

In general, disease processes are very important to coral reef systems because they can have such profound effects on the ecosystem. For example, the loss of Diadema antillarum througout the Caribbean from an unidentified pathogen shifted the balance from coral-dominated reefs to algae-dominated reefs. This was furthered by the mass loss of the primary reef-building corals, Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata to White Band Disease. Black Band Disease, White Plague, Aspergillosis, Dark Spots Disease and Yellow Blotch Disease are now taking huge tolls on remaining dominant corals in the entire region. Seagrasses also fell victim to a pathogenic slime mold, Labyrinthula sp., world-wide, and eliminated vast areas of these important ecosystems. Thus diseases can rapidly shape and alter corals and coral reefs.

 

[Eric Borneman]

Understanding Coral Disease

Based on a a talk for reefcorner.homestead.com

Eric Borneman


Introduction

In the past several years, aquarists, divers, and scientists have come face to face with a veritable assortment of coral maladies for which very little information was available in terms of understanding or experience. This occurred partly because of the comparatively small body of literature that existed to describe coral disease in nature, but also because of an almost total lack of experience in any form with apparent loss of various corals from their habitat.

Nonetheless, stories in the media have become more commonplace as new and sometimes highly lethal diseases have surfaced in natural coral communities. These discoveries have enlisted larger numbers of coral biologists and scientists to the study and understanding of these coral killers. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the increasing anthropogenic influences occurring on coral reefs have steadily increased over the years. Community stress as a result of climatic changes, human effluents, chemical spills, increased human contact and influence, and other factors have taxed wild populations in ways unknown in previous generations. To be sure, there is far more contact with corals now than at any time in the past, and it is possible that such diseases have always existed in one form or another and were heretofore unbeknownst to the world. There is little doubt that varying levels of pathogenicity and predation have always been present. However, the increased levels of stressors that have resulted over the past forty years or so are likely playing a decisive role in some of the more recently observed diseases.

The observation and intuition of aquarists who are maintaining corals in captivity, as well as the increased number of professional and amateur divers observing animals in the wild, has been invaluable in the observations of these animals. It so happens that the conditions that corals are subjected to in the collection and transport, if not the captive environment itself, are in many ways akin or even exceeding the stressors brought on by natural communities. It has been widely recognized, if not only in an anecdotal fashion, that stress has a profound impact on cnidarians. Such observations from scientists, divers, and aquarists alike have led to a re-examination of the current thoughts regarding certain coral diseases, and toward understanding the cnidarian disease response. While any forthright conclusions, treatment protocols, and indeed comprehensive understanding at a gross and subcellular level may be a long way off, I hope this talk aids in helping aquarists to identify and be able to recognize what is coral disease. Many of the problems commonly seen in aquaria are often thought of as a disease. Aquarists tend to immediately look for a pathogen (bacteria) to blame. Unfortunately, coral disease seems to be more complex than that. It is an easy way to think, but often incorrect and sometimes potentially dangerous to the sick animal or the other tank inhabitants.

Perhaps most notably in the lay aquarium literature is the way so many want to attribute various problems associated with some corals (RTN, Goniopora, Catalaphyllia (elegance), and even bleaching) to unknown pathogens - in particular, the bacteria, Vibrio spp. The normal mucus of a healthy coral is populated mostly by Vibrio spp. The ability of any microbe - or even macro-predator - can be exacerbated by stress and poor conditions. It is far more likely that this is the case with many of our aquarium "diseases." - that is, that stressors act to allow for the action of normally harmless organisms. It is also very important to not blindly treat corals for "disease" without knowing what - or even if - a causative organism(s) is/are present. Corals can be extremely robust, and isolation or removal to new tank conditions with high quality water is usually all that is required to cause the disease to stop.

Because of the scope of this subject, I will not be able to address the many problems that may occur in aquarium corals. Instead, I will focus only on true coral disease. If anyone has any particular questions about problems with corals in their aquaria or what they believe to be a disease (jelly infections, etc.), I would be happy to answer them in the questions and answers after this talk.

Several diseases, notably Black-Band Disease (BBD), Red-Band Disease (RBD), Rapid-Wasting Disease (RWD), Aspergillosis, and, most recently, White Plague Type II, seem to have been sufficiently proven to have associated causal organisms in their etiology, if not in their exact makeup. It is important to understand that there is still much study that remains to be done in coral disease. Some of the diseases may yet be discovered to have primary causative microbial organisms. Some may have microbes as an initiation for other pathologic changes that result in disease. In others, environmental conditions may play a key role. It may even be found that one or more of the diseases currently recognized in the wild or in the aquarium are the same or similar diseases.

 

[Eric Borneman]

Understanding Coral Disease

Based on a a talk for reefcorner.homestead.com

Eric Borneman


Introduction

In the past several years, aquarists, divers, and scientists have come face to face with a veritable assortment of coral maladies for which very little information was available in terms of understanding or experience. This occurred partly because of the comparatively small body of literature that existed to describe coral disease in nature, but also because of an almost total lack of experience in any form with apparent loss of various corals from their habitat.

Nonetheless, stories in the media have become more commonplace as new and sometimes highly lethal diseases have surfaced in natural coral communities. These discoveries have enlisted larger numbers of coral biologists and scientists to the study and understanding of these coral killers. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the increasing anthropogenic influences occurring on coral reefs have steadily increased over the years. Community stress as a result of climatic changes, human effluents, chemical spills, increased human contact and influence, and other factors have taxed wild populations in ways unknown in previous generations. To be sure, there is far more contact with corals now than at any time in the past, and it is possible that such diseases have always existed in one form or another and were heretofore unbeknownst to the world. There is little doubt that varying levels of pathogenicity and predation have always been present. However, the increased levels of stressors that have resulted over the past forty years or so are likely playing a decisive role in some of the more recently observed diseases.

The observation and intuition of aquarists who are maintaining corals in captivity, as well as the increased number of professional and amateur divers observing animals in the wild, has been invaluable in the observations of these animals. It so happens that the conditions that corals are subjected to in the collection and transport, if not the captive environment itself, are in many ways akin or even exceeding the stressors brought on by natural communities. It has been widely recognized, if not only in an anecdotal fashion, that stress has a profound impact on cnidarians. Such observations from scientists, divers, and aquarists alike have led to a re-examination of the current thoughts regarding certain coral diseases, and toward understanding the cnidarian disease response. While any forthright conclusions, treatment protocols, and indeed comprehensive understanding at a gross and subcellular level may be a long way off, I hope this talk aids in helping aquarists to identify and be able to recognize what is coral disease. Many of the problems commonly seen in aquaria are often thought of as a disease. Aquarists tend to immediately look for a pathogen (bacteria) to blame. Unfortunately, coral disease seems to be more complex than that. It is an easy way to think, but often incorrect and sometimes potentially dangerous to the sick animal or the other tank inhabitants.

Perhaps most notably in the lay aquarium literature is the way so many want to attribute various problems associated with some corals (RTN, Goniopora, Catalaphyllia (elegance), and even bleaching) to unknown pathogens - in particular, the bacteria, Vibrio spp. The normal mucus of a healthy coral is populated mostly by Vibrio spp. The ability of any microbe - or even macro-predator - can be exacerbated by stress and poor conditions. It is far more likely that this is the case with many of our aquarium "diseases." - that is, that stressors act to allow for the action of normally harmless organisms. It is also very important to not blindly treat corals for "disease" without knowing what - or even if - a causative organism(s) is/are present. Corals can be extremely robust, and isolation or removal to new tank conditions with high quality water is usually all that is required to cause the disease to stop.

Because of the scope of this subject, I will not be able to address the many problems that may occur in aquarium corals. Instead, I will focus only on true coral disease. If anyone has any particular questions about problems with corals in their aquaria or what they believe to be a disease (jelly infections, etc.), I would be happy to answer them in the questions and answers after this talk.

Several diseases, notably Black-Band Disease (BBD), Red-Band Disease (RBD), Rapid-Wasting Disease (RWD), Aspergillosis, and, most recently, White Plague Type II, seem to have been sufficiently proven to have associated causal organisms in their etiology, if not in their exact makeup. It is important to understand that there is still much study that remains to be done in coral disease. Some of the diseases may yet be discovered to have primary causative microbial organisms. Some may have microbes as an initiation for other pathologic changes that result in disease. In others, environmental conditions may play a key role. It may even be found that one or more of the diseases currently recognized in the wild or in the aquarium are the same or similar diseases.

 

[Eric Borneman]

Understanding Coral Disease

Based on a a talk for reefcorner.homestead.com

Eric Borneman


Introduction

In the past several years, aquarists, divers, and scientists have come face to face with a veritable assortment of coral maladies for which very little information was available in terms of understanding or experience. This occurred partly because of the comparatively small body of literature that existed to describe coral disease in nature, but also because of an almost total lack of experience in any form with apparent loss of various corals from their habitat.

Nonetheless, stories in the media have become more commonplace as new and sometimes highly lethal diseases have surfaced in natural coral communities. These discoveries have enlisted larger numbers of coral biologists and scientists to the study and understanding of these coral killers. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the increasing anthropogenic influences occurring on coral reefs have steadily increased over the years. Community stress as a result of climatic changes, human effluents, chemical spills, increased human contact and influence, and other factors have taxed wild populations in ways unknown in previous generations. To be sure, there is far more contact with corals now than at any time in the past, and it is possible that such diseases have always existed in one form or another and were heretofore unbeknownst to the world. There is little doubt that varying levels of pathogenicity and predation have always been present. However, the increased levels of stressors that have resulted over the past forty years or so are likely playing a decisive role in some of the more recently observed diseases.

The observation and intuition of aquarists who are maintaining corals in captivity, as well as the increased number of professional and amateur divers observing animals in the wild, has been invaluable in the observations of these animals. It so happens that the conditions that corals are subjected to in the collection and transport, if not the captive environment itself, are in many ways akin or even exceeding the stressors brought on by natural communities. It has been widely recognized, if not only in an anecdotal fashion, that stress has a profound impact on cnidarians. Such observations from scientists, divers, and aquarists alike have led to a re-examination of the current thoughts regarding certain coral diseases, and toward understanding the cnidarian disease response. While any forthright conclusions, treatment protocols, and indeed comprehensive understanding at a gross and subcellular level may be a long way off, I hope this talk aids in helping aquarists to identify and be able to recognize what is coral disease. Many of the problems commonly seen in aquaria are often thought of as a disease. Aquarists tend to immediately look for a pathogen (bacteria) to blame. Unfortunately, coral disease seems to be more complex than that. It is an easy way to think, but often incorrect and sometimes potentially dangerous to the sick animal or the other tank inhabitants.

Perhaps most notably in the lay aquarium literature is the way so many want to attribute various problems associated with some corals (RTN, Goniopora, Catalaphyllia (elegance), and even bleaching) to unknown pathogens - in particular, the bacteria, Vibrio spp. The normal mucus of a healthy coral is populated mostly by Vibrio spp. The ability of any microbe - or even macro-predator - can be exacerbated by stress and poor conditions. It is far more likely that this is the case with many of our aquarium "diseases." - that is, that stressors act to allow for the action of normally harmless organisms. It is also very important to not blindly treat corals for "disease" without knowing what - or even if - a causative organism(s) is/are present. Corals can be extremely robust, and isolation or removal to new tank conditions with high quality water is usually all that is required to cause the disease to stop.

Because of the scope of this subject, I will not be able to address the many problems that may occur in aquarium corals. Instead, I will focus only on true coral disease. If anyone has any particular questions about problems with corals in their aquaria or what they believe to be a disease (jelly infections, etc.), I would be happy to answer them in the questions and answers after this talk.

Several diseases, notably Black-Band Disease (BBD), Red-Band Disease (RBD), Rapid-Wasting Disease (RWD), Aspergillosis, and, most recently, White Plague Type II, seem to have been sufficiently proven to have associated causal organisms in their etiology, if not in their exact makeup. It is important to understand that there is still much study that remains to be done in coral disease. Some of the diseases may yet be discovered to have primary causative microbial organisms. Some may have microbes as an initiation for other pathologic changes that result in disease. In others, environmental conditions may play a key role. It may even be found that one or more of the diseases currently recognized in the wild or in the aquarium are the same or similar diseases.