11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

Plenary
Drivers of Coral Infectious Disease
Drew HARVELL
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
The rate of new infectious syndromes and disease outbreaks of gorgonian and scleractinian corals continues to increase. Evidence is
developing that both global climate and local factors are contributing to this increase. The Coral Disease Working Group of the CRTR is
investigating how these factors act synergistically to facilitate disease outbreaks, and developing tools and strategies for mitigating and
managing disease impact. The focus of the Harvell laboratory is on understanding coral immunity to infectious agents, and most recently
cellular and protein responses of Gorgonian sea fans to fungal infections. Our working hypothesis is that, in some cases, coral mortality
during thermal anomalies is exacerbated by opportunistic pathogens whose virulence is enhanced by increased temperatures while host
resistance is reduced. Required for testing this hypothesis is a tool for assessing coral immunity. Particularly promising is an assay
measuring the temperature induced response of amoebocytes and production of prophenoloxidase in the Caribbean sea fan corals. Another
important goal for the entire community is the development of practical management approaches for marine infectious diseases. This will
require both the application of approaches developed to manage disease on land and new strategies that recognize the special biology of the
coral holobiont.
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