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Description:
Project Manager:
Andy Bruckner
Project Years:
2019
2020
2021
Project Summary:
The Florida Reef tract is experiencing a prolonged outbreak of coral disease (Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease; SCTLD) that affects nearly half the coral species found here. Concurrently, restoration practitioners are scaling up their efforts. This includes outplanting corals in new locations, outplanting higher volumes and outplanting new species, including boulder corals that are susceptible to the coral disease. Current monitoring involves fate tracking, with examination of the survival of outplants after one month and one year. There is no monitoring to evaluate changes to the reef as a result of the outplanting, ecosystem benefits of the outplants, or risks of outplanting in areas affected by the disease. This project will guide and refine permitted restoration efforts, helping determine where to outplant corals and what species to outplant in different locations relative to the current condition of the reef and status of SCTLD while minimizing the risk of refueling a disease outbreak or increasing its spread. The position would support two contractors who would lead ecosystem-based monitoring efforts to evaluate restoration trials in relation to the disease, the efficacy of disease interventions, and the spatial epidemiology of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease.
Expected Outcome:
Data on the disease boundary, patterns of spread, affected species and impacts Information on the survival of outplanted corals and the relationship between outplanting and coral disease. It will provide critical information that can help us determine when it is safe to begin scaling up restoration efforts by answering the following questions: 1. Are acroporid corals a potential vector of SCTLD 2. Will outplant sites of SCTLD-susceptible coral species serve as a new source of disease flare-ups or increase the severity of the outbreak in the surrounding coral community 3. Can SCTLD-susceptible species be outplanted on the FRT with acceptable survival rates to warrant larger-scale coral restoration efforts to commence 4. Does outplanting susceptible species of corals change the disease dynamics within the reef environment 5. Does outplant density correlate with disease prevalence 6. Does outplant design (number of arrays) influence disease dynamics
Project Locations:
Project Category:
Restoration
Project Type:
Ongoing
Project Status:
Funding Ended
Associated Products:
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