Eor training 111512

Eyes of the ReefEyes of the Reef

Community Reporting NetworkCommunity Reporting Network

Coral Bleaching, Disease, COTS, Coral Bleaching, Disease, COTS, and Marine Invasive Speciesand Marine Invasive Species

World Resources InstituteWorld Resources Institute20112011

Global, map-based Global, map-based analysis of threats to the analysis of threats to the world’s coral reefsworld’s coral reefs

Threats: Threats: Local: Local: overfishing, overfishing, destructive fishing, coastal destructive fishing, coastal development, pollutiondevelopment, pollution

Global: Global: climate change -> climate change -> rising ocean temperatures, rising ocean temperatures, coral bleachingcoral bleaching

75% world’s coral reefs currently threatened75% world’s coral reefs currently threatened

Threats have increased 30% in the past decade Threats have increased 30% in the past decade

•In 2002, the US Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) In 2002, the US Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) identified six management focus of nationwide threats: identified six management focus of nationwide threats:

• Coral reef fisheries Coral reef fisheries

• Land-based pollutionLand-based pollution

• Lack of public awarenessLack of public awareness

• Recreational useRecreational use

• Coral bleaching Coral bleaching

• Reef organism disease Reef organism disease

The USCRTF requested that each U.S. jurisdiction The USCRTF requested that each U.S. jurisdiction develop three-year plans, or local action strategies develop three-year plans, or local action strategies

(LAS), for each of the priority threats(LAS), for each of the priority threats

• Climate Change and Marine Disease • Aquatic Invasive Species

Address Hawaii’s need to maintain reef resources in the face of increasing

human populations and changing climatic conditions

Photo by Greta AebyPhoto by Greta Aeby

Photo by Greta AebyPhoto by Greta Aeby Photo by Greta AebyPhoto by Greta AebyPhoto by Darla WhitePhoto by Darla White

Rapid response by management agencies to events of coral bleaching, coral disease, COTS, and marine invasive species

• Requires Early Detection of these events

• Community Reporting System

Eyes of the Reef Network: Level I InvolvementEyes of the Reef Network: Level I Involvement• All ocean usersAll ocean users

• Train to spot 5 dangers to reef healthTrain to spot 5 dangers to reef health

• Watch and report!Watch and report!

•Activate a rapid response Activate a rapid response

by managementby management

•Develop a database of Develop a database of

changing reef conditionschanging reef conditions

Coral Bleaching

Coral Disease

Crown-of-Thorns Sea Stars

Marine Alien Invasive Species

Native Species Blooms

You will know how to: • Classify coral types by shape and texture• Recognize and categorize coral diseases• Differentiate between coral disease and biological

interactions• Recognize the 5 most dangerous alien invasive algae• Recognize and assess native invasive blooms• Report reef threats to the Eyes of the Reef Network

YOU WILL BE THE “EYES” ON OUR HAWAIIAN REEFS

Our Reefs: The Facts• Hawaii’s reefs are vast

– 410,000 acres, representing almost 85% of coral reefs under US protection

– Over 5,000 species, almost 25% endemic– Culturally, economically, biologically critical

Coral Reefs 101

Coral reefs Coral reefs should be considered as whole whole ecosystems.ecosystems.

The habitathabitat and associated marine life marine life are deeply interlinked!interlinked!

Coral reefs evolved in evolved in

CleanClean,,Clear,Clear,Low Low

nutrientnutrientwaterwater

•BiologyBiology•Physics Physics •ChemistryChemistry

InseparableInseparable

Coral: Coral: Animal, Animal, Plant, Plant,

or or Mineral?Mineral?

Corals as GardenersCorals as GardenersPlant: ZooxanthellaePlant: Zooxanthellae

ZooxanthellaeZooxanthellae

• Produce sugars Produce sugars (carbohydrates)(carbohydrates)

• Oxygen for the Oxygen for the coralcoral

• 90% of production 90% of production goes to coralgoes to coral

• Photosynthesis by Photosynthesis by zooxanthellae helps zooxanthellae helps corals build their corals build their skeletons, forming skeletons, forming reefsreefs

• Zooxanthellae give Zooxanthellae give corals their colorcorals their color

Coral PolypCoral Polyp

Provides a safe homeProvides a safe home

Fertilizer from wasteFertilizer from waste

Carbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide

Photos courtesy of NOAA and Dr. Greta AebyPhotos courtesy of NOAA and Dr. Greta Aeby

Coral Reef Ecology

What does a healthy reef look like?What does a healthy reef look like?

Bacteria

Virusses

Herbivores

Predators

Apex predatorsCoral

Crustose corallinealgae

Benthic algaeSlide courtesy of Dr Mark VermeijSlide courtesy of Dr Mark Vermeij

Bleaching:

loss of symbiotic algae within coral tissueleads to reduced growth, reproduction

and sometimes death

1998 1998 world-world-wide wide mass mass

bleaching bleaching 16% of 16% of

world’s world’s

reefs lostreefs lost

Understanding Coral Bleaching

Bleaching risk = regional SST + local weather

Regional temperature anomaly

+ Lack of clouds

+ Little to no wind

+ Weak currents

Understanding Coral BleachingConditions conducive to bleaching

Causes of Mass Coral Bleaching

Relationship between intensity and duration of temperature stress

Understanding Coral BleachingThresholds are a function of temperature & time

4 degree heating weeks = bleaching8 degree heating weeks = mortality

Su

nli g

ht Max light level a

coral is adaptedto handle.

Damage fromexcess light.

daily cycle

Full repair ofdaily damage.

NORMAL TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS

Roberto Iglesias, UNAM


daily cycle

High temperaturelowers the lightthreshold.

More light damage.

Not enoughrepair, so damagebuilds up.

STRESSFUL TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS

Su

nli g

ht

Roberto Iglesias, UNAM


Bleached coral enhances light Normal conditions: coral skeleton

scatters light to enhance the light field for the zooxanthellae

Bleaching: more light reaching the skeleton, more scattering, more enhancement of the light field

Past a tipping-point, the bleaching makes the cause of bleaching worse


Severe stress may cause cell death directly

Starvation from chronic bleaching may occur in the long term.


Courtesy of K. Michalek-Wagner

• Less calcification / slower growth rates• Less reproductive output• Less resistance to disease and competition

• Less calcification / slower growth rates• Less reproductive output• Less resistance to disease and competition

Photo: Andrew Baird


Bleaching = mortality unless:• Temperatures soon drop below thresholds• Corals have good lipid reserves• Corals can feed heterotrophically

Understanding Coral BleachingPhysiology of bleaching

Photo: Masanori Nonaka

Recovery of coral populations is dependent on:▪ Growth of surviving colonies

▪ Recruitment of new corals

Recovery of coral populations is dependent on:▪ Growth of surviving colonies

▪ Recruitment of new corals


The first mass bleaching occurred in 1996 in the main Hawaiian Islands.

A second major bleaching event occurred in 2002 centered in the northern portion of the Archipelago

Midway backreef Sept. 2002

Midway backreef July 2003

Maui - Montipora & Pocillopora:Molokini, Kapalua Bay, Makena

Landing, Maluaka, Kahakeli

Big Island – Montipora:Along West Coast

O‘ahu - Montipora:North Shore

Coral Disease

Disease: Any impairment of vital body functions, systems, or organs.

• Biotic – Causal agent a living organism

• Pathogen,such as viruses or bacteria• Parasites

• Abiotic – Causal agent an environmental stressor

• Changes in salinity, temperature, light, etc.• Exposure to toxic chemicals

Black band

Coral disease

Before 1996: 4 diseases described

2004: 29 diseases described

Aspergillosis

White pox

Yellow band

Dark spots

Black band

Florida Keys

1996-2000

# stations w/ disease: 26 -> 131# coral species w/ disease: 11 -> 36

Overall coral cover: decreased by 37%

Porter et al. (2002)

Aspergillosis

White pox

Yellow band

Dark spots

Black band

AustraliaGBR

1998-2003

# reefs w/ white syndrome: 4 -> 33avg. # cases of white syndrome/reef: 1.7 -> 47.7

Willis et al. (2004)

Lobophyllia white syndrome Acropora white syndrome

Acropora growth anomalies

Disease outbreaks across the Indo-Pacific

Coral disease in Hawaii

18 disease states widespread

low prevalence

Montipora multi-focal TLSMontipora dark band

Por trematodiasis

Poc white-band disease

Acrop white syndrome

Acrop growth anomalies

Porites growth anomalies

The first disease outbreak occurred in 2003 at French Frigate Shoals

Acropora white syndrome

May 2005

May 2006

Acropora white syndrome kills coral

Year # reefs surveyed # reefs w/ AWS

2002 6 0

2003 7 1

2004 6 3

2005 5 4

2006 9 7

AWS is spreading across FFS

Outbreak of Montipora white syndrome

Montipora white syndrome

2006

2007

Sept 200657 colonies tagged

Rate of tissue lost:~3% of colony/month

Sept 200753 colonies (93%) suffered

partial to total mortality

Case fatality rate:2006-2007=7%

2006-2008=28%

Montipora white syndrome – Acute OutbreakKaneohe Bay – 2010

Montipora white syndrome outbreak

Dr Greta Aeby & team surveyed 12 sites

198 colonies

3-22-10

4-1-10

Acute Montipora White Syndrome

April 2010 April 2011

2nd outbreak of acute MWS

Kaneohe BayDecember 2011

2012 surveys

NB

CB

SB

area 2010 2012

SB 313 1179

CB 0 23

NB 39 30

38

46

2

17 03

10

285

31

46

16386

132

239

197

MWS outbreak2012

Rapid response surveys

Outbreak of Montipora White Syndrome on Maui in 2008

Ahihi Kinau, Maui

MWS prevalence=9.5%

2008-2011

M. capitata declined from 48.5% to 27.5%

Ross et al., in press

MWS outbreak on MauiMarch 2010

Sept. 2010

EOR report

Terry Lilley March 2011

Tunnels, Kauai

EOR report: Terry Lilley Kauai, November 2012



GBR- 3 major COTS outbreaks in the past 40 years

Sept 1969-Nov 1970

Outbreak of COTS off Molokai

20,000 animals

Branham et al. 1971. Science 172(3988):1155-1157

Sept 2005

Outbreak of COTS off Oahu

1,000 animals5 min tow2,260m2

Kenyon & Aeby, in press

CRED

Naturally occurring in small numbers, but report unusually large numbers of COTS

Causes for COTS outbreaks:

- Increased nutrients lead to increased planktonic food for larvae

- Fluctuations in salinity and temperature contribute to larval survival

- Removal of natural predators

- Triton trumpets, Harlequin shrimp, stripebelly puffers

Maui’s Kihei coastlost potential revenue $20 million

OahuSmothering corals

Fish disease

Tumors in butterflyfish

severe

mild

moderate

Skin cancer in kole

• Coastal Development– Nutrient runoff

• Injection wells, cesspools, septic tanks

• Agriculture, ranching

• Fertilizing

– Sedimentation

– Pollution

Maui’s Reefs in DangerSedimentationSedimentation Invasive AlgaeInvasive Algae

Over FishingOver Fishing

Over-useOver-use

Groundings andAnchor DamageGroundings andAnchor Damage

Maui Monitoring Program

Changing weather patterns Increased sea surface temperatures

Ocean Acidification

Decreases in Coral growth and recruitment

Increases in: Coral Bleaching

Coral Disease

Climate Change + increasing anthropogenic stressors

Reefs at risk

Are Hawaii’s reefs at risk?

YES!

1. What type of coral?

2. What kind of change?

– Is there a change in color?

– Are there growths or protuberances?

Cauliflower CoralLace Coral Antler Coral

Key features:

• Discrete, branching coral heads

• Wart-like surface

• Polyps between and on projections

(Pocillopora)

Red Blue

Key features:• Encrusting, plate-like

• “Rice-like” projections

• Polyps between projections

Tan/Purple

(Montipora)

Massive Corals:

• Surface smooth,

• crowded, small polyps

• Forms mounds, plates, encrustations, fingers

Finger CoralMounding Coral Plate and Pillar

(Porites)

Key features:• Encrusting

• “Corrugated” appearance: steep-sided ridges

• Polyps in valleys

(Pavona)

Rice Coral

Smooth Coral

Small/Branching Coral

Smooth Coral

Rice Coral

Smooth Coral

CorrugatedCoral




• Bleaching? Disease? Predation? Other?







Is the coral colony white?

Bleaching Bare Skeleton

• loss of symbiotic algae within coral tissue

– Polyps are alive and present

– Leaves transparent coral tissue

Large, complete colonies

Look for polyps!

Spotty Appearance

• Fast growing branching and plates corals first to bleach

• Some change color

Is the coral colony white?

Bleaching Bare Skeleton

Predation Disease

Predator present?Pattern of tissue loss

Progressive tissue loss

One or more:– Progressive tissue loss

– Spotty, uneven areas of bare skeleton

– Distinct banding

Pocillopora white-band disease

Multi-focal tissue lossPorites Tissue Loss

Montipora White Syndrome

Montipora banded tissue loss

• Discolored area, purple or red

• Raised, pink “zits”

Porites Trematodiasis

Pavona Endolithic

Hypermycosis






Porites Growth Anomalies

Montipora Growth Anomalies

Excess skeletal growth

- Paler tissue

- Enlarged calices

Natural Interactions between coral and other organisms

can be mistaken for disease or bleaching.

Do Not Report:

• Fish Predation

• Invertebrate Predation Burrowing

• Coral Competition

• Algal Interactions

• Numerous distinct bites

• Large, deep scrapes

• Fresh bites over old Blennies

Filefish

Parrotfish

Kahe crab

Shrimp burrows

COTSDrupella snails

• Coral tissue discoloration due to algal interactions

Toxic compounds

Abrasion

• Colonies use stinging cells, resulting in white, dead areas

Naturally occurring in small numbers, but report unusually large numbers of COTS

Causes for COTS outbreaks:

- Increased nutrients lead to increased planktonic food for larvae

- Fluctuations in salinity and temperature contribute to larval survival

- Removal of natural predators

- Triton trumpets, Harlequin shrimp, stripebelly puffers

Prefer small/branching corals and rice coral

– Look for bare, white skeleton, often with some live healthy coral

– Look for animals in vicinity

COTS predation: note tissue down in branches

Montipora growth anomaly

Porites trematodiasis

Discoloration due to biological interaction

COTS predation: note newly bare skeleton with no discoloration, progression or algal growth

Montipora White Syndrome: note progressing deterioration

Growth Anomalies

Bleaching

Fish predation

Spotty Coral Bleaching:Live coral polyps, irregular sizes and shapes

Porites Multi-Focal Tissue Loss: Intact, bare skeleton, some algal growth in middle

Coral Competition: Note white are where two colonies come together

Montipora Band Disease: note dark band with progressing deterioration

Pavona dark spot

Calculate percent affected

Calculate percent affected

•Percent Live Cover

•Percent Coral Affected

•# animals

EOR investigation

• Clear, clean, low nutrient water – prevents algae from growing overly fast

• Intense grazing by fish and invertebrates– controls algal biomass

Phase Shifts on Coral ReefsPhase Shifts on Coral Reefs

Transition from coral dominated to algal dominated reef

Lahaina, Maui: Cladophora spp.

•Algal overgrowth by:–Introduced alien species

–Invasive native algae

The largest and most destructive invasive algae in Hawai‘i

• Branches coarse and heavy, thick as a finger

• Up to 2m tall

• Shiny green to yellow orange

• Gnarled with spines to tangled, fleshy mats

• Found on calm reef flats(Kappaphycus, Eucheuma)

Massive blooms on Maui

– Responds to increased nitrogen and phosphorus and fragments easily

• Flattened “hooks” at tips

• Usually red, varying to yellow

• Long, tendril-like branches

• Often attached to other algae

• May form large mats

• Found on calm, intertidal and shallow reef flats

(Hypnea musciformis)

Massive blooms on O‘ahu and overtaking fishponds on Moloka‘i

- 3 dimensional growth, adapts to most conditions

- Brittle, smallest fragment can grow

• Cylindrical, brittle branches, forked at tips

• Tips bluntly rounded

• Varies in color from bright yellow at tips to orange or brown at base

• Found intertidal to subtidal to 4m(Gracilaria salicornia)

Most common alien alga- Responds quickly to

nutrients, out-competing & displacing native species

- Grazed by fish and turtles

• Spine-like, brittle branches

• Red, brown to yellow in bright sunlight

• Easily fragment, forms floating masses

• Attaches to rock and coral rubble

• Found in brackish ponds, tide pools, intertidal and reef flats

(Acanthophora spicifera)

Once established—very competitive- Soft-bottom & deep water habitats

- Competing with native species and endemic seagrass

• Fan-shaped, spongy blades

• Green to gray-green

• Densely clustered blades attached to a thick stalk

• Clumps often covered with silty sand, appearing muddy brown

• Calm, sandy bottoms, 1-80 m(Avrainvillea amadelpha)

Upside-down Jellyfish– Usually lies upside down on bottom

– Yellow-brown with white or pale spots and streaks

– 12-14 inches in diameter

– Frilly tentacles, mistaken for anemones

Snowflake Coral– Polyps have eight tentacles

– Polyps and branches white, but branches may appear orange from encrusting sponge

– Settles and grows on other corals and shellfish

(Carijoa)

(Cassiopea)

Common algae and invertebrate species that bloom out of control– Response to changing environmental conditions

– Nutrients

– Sedimentation

• Unusual organism that appears to be spreading quickly

• Changes in biodiversity

• Stressed or overgrown corals

• Change in water quality, clarity

• All types of reef locations

• Blue-green algae, Honaunau

– Leptolyngbya crosbyana

• Green Bubble algae, Kāne‘ohe Bay, O‘ahu

– Dictyosphaeria cavernosa

• Blue Octocoral, Kona Coast

– Sarcothelia edmondsoni

Leather Mudweed

Gorillo Ogo

Smothering Seaweed

Prickly Seaweed

Hookweed

Fish disease

Tumors in butterflyfish

severe

mild

moderate

Skin cancer in kole

Photo Credits: Matt Ramsey, Greta Aeby, & Thierry Work

Àhihi KinaùÀhihi Kinaù


Àhihi KinaùÀhihi Kinaù


Honlua BayHonlua Bay






KahekiliKahekili

Àhihi Kinaù The Aquarium


http://www.reefcheckhawaii.org/eyesofthereef.htm

http://eyesofthereef.myphotoalbum.com

Username: eotr

Password: eotr

Report unusual events of bleaching, disease or COTS to:www.reefcheckhawaii.org/eyesofthereef.htm

808-953-4044or

EOR site coordinatorsKauai: Paul Clark

[email protected] Island: Linda Preskitt

[email protected]: Darla White

[email protected]

Coral bleaching, disease & marine invasives reporting network

http://www.reefcheckhawaii.org/eyesofthereef.htm

mailto:[email protected]



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Education

Eor training 111512