A5060039315- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
Florida Atlantic University
2021-2023
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
2021-2023
The University of Texas at Austin
2016-2017
Disease causes significant coral mortality worldwide; however, factors responsible for intraspecific variation in disease resistance remain unclear. We exposed fragments of eight Acropora millepora colonies (genotypes) to putatively pathogenic bacteria (Vibrio spp.). Genotypes varied from zero >90% mortality, with bacterial challenge increasing average rates 4-6 fold and shifting the microbiome favor stress-associated taxa. Constitutive immunity subsequent immune transcriptomic responses...
Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) was first observed in Florida 2014 and has since spread to multiple reefs across the wider Caribbean. The northern section of Florida's Coral Reef been heavily impacted by this outbreak, with some experiencing as much a 60% living area. We experimentally assessed effectiveness two intervention treatments on SCTLD-affected Montastraea cavernosa colonies situ. Colonies were tagged divided into three treatment groups: (1) chlorinated epoxy, (2)...
Abstract Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has been causing significant whole colony mortality on reefs in Florida and the Caribbean. The cause of SCTLD remains unknown, with limited concurrence SCTLD-associated bacteria among studies. We conducted a meta-analysis 16S ribosomal RNA gene datasets generated by 16 field laboratory studies to find consistent associated across zones (vulnerable, endemic, epidemic), species, compartments (mucus, tissue, skeleton), health states (apparently...
Abstract Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) remains an unprecedented outbreak due to its high mortality rate and rapid spread throughout Florida's Coral Reef wider Caribbean. A collaborative effort is underway evaluate strategies that mitigate the of SCTLD across colonies reefs, including restoration disease‐resistant genotypes, genetic rescue, intervention with therapeutics. We conducted in‐situ experiment in Southeast Florida assess molecular responses among SCTLD‐affected Montastraea...
ABSTRACT Understanding the drivers of intraspecific variation in susceptibility is essential to manage increasingly frequent coral disease outbreaks. We challenged replicate fragments eight Acropora millepora genotypes with Vibrio spp. quantify lesion development and identify host coral-associated microbial community properties associated resistance. While remained relatively rare microbiome corals, other stress-associated taxa significantly increased abundance. Contrary expectations, higher...
ABSTRACT Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has been causing significant whole colony mortality on reefs in Florida and the Caribbean. The cause of SCTLD remains unknown, with limited concurrence SCTLD-associated bacteria among studies. We conducted a meta-analysis SSU 16S ribosomal RNA gene datasets generated by 16 field laboratory studies to find consistent associated across zones (vulnerable, endemic, epidemic), species, compartments (mucus, tissue, skeleton), states (apparently...
Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) remains an unprecedented outbreak due to its high mortality rate and rapid spread throughout Florida’s Coral Reef wider Caribbean. A collaborative effort is underway evaluate intervention strategies that mitigate the of SCTLD across colonies reefs. We conducted in-situ experiment in Southeast Florida assess molecular responses among SCTLD-affected Montastraea cavernosa pre- post-application most widely-used method, CoreRx Base 2B with amoxicillin....