Investigation of the Coral Disease Outbreak Affecting Scleractinian Coral Species Along the Florida Reef Tract
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Investigation of the Coral Disease Outbreak Affecting Scleractinian Coral Species along the Florida Reef Tract Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coral Reef Conservation Program Reef Resilience Project #4 Final FWC: FWRI File Code: F4327_17-17_F Investigation of the Coral Disease Outbreak Affecting Scleractinian Coral Species along the Florida Reef Tract Final Report Prepared By: Kathleen Lunz Jan Landsberg Yasu Kiryu Vanessa Brinkhuis Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission June 30, 2017 Completed in Fulfillment of BOA35A for Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coral Reef Conservation Program 1277 N.E. 79th Street Causeway Miami, FL 33138 This report should be cited as follows: Lunz, K, Landsberg, J., Kiryu, Y., Brinkhuis, V. 2017. Investigation of the Coral Disease Outbreak Affecting Scleractinian Corals of the Florida Reef Tract. Florida DEP. Miami, FL Pp. 19 This report was prepared for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Coral Reef Conservation Program by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. Funding was provided in part by the Coastal Zone Management Program from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service Aware No. NA14NOS4190053, by NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program Award No. NA15NOS4820036, and by the Department, through its Florida Coastal Office. The total cost of the project was $34,066. The views, statements, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the State of Florida, NOAA or any of its sub-agencies. Cover Photo: FWC Executive Summary From spring 2014 to present, coral disease outbreaks in more than 20 scleractinian (stony coral) species have been reported offshore of the southeast Florida region, within the Upper Florida Keys, and within the Dry Tortugas National Park. Coral disease outbreaks began in late 2014 offshore the Miami-Dade area near Virginia Key. Since those initial reports, further disease outbreaks have been reported in areas north and south of the initial outbreak area. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) has been investigating this disease outbreak using a combination of field observations and tissue collections for histological and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) evaluation, archiving tissues for later analyses, and supplying samples to collaborators for diagnostics. This report summarizes the collection of reference (visually healthy) tissue from locations in the southeast Florida region and the Florida Keys, analytical progress to date based on limited evaluation of diseased and reference specimens through histological and TEM examination. The continued evaluation of the histological, pathological and molecular response of the species affected as well as an assessment of normal associated and pathogenic organisms may shed additional light on etiology, as well as differential host response. Much of the data gathered thus far is very preliminary and continued efforts are needed to reappraise priority directions and confirmatory experimental and field plans should be developed to constantly appraise and refocus the ongoing disease investigation as necessary. As analyses progress, FWRI will be able to recommend specific collection and analytical efforts to address the ongoing disease outbreak. Coral Reef Conservation Program i June 2017 Acknowledgements We wish to thank Lindsay Huebner, Ananda Ellis, Katy Cummings, Jeff Beal, and Kristi Kerrigan for intellectual and logistical assistance during field collections. Patrick Wilson, Clark Gray, Noretta Perry, Michelle Franco, and Yvonne Walters assisted with histological and TEM sample preparation. Coral Reef Conservation Program ii June 2017 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................ 2 2. METHODS ................................................................................................................. 2 2.1. Field and Laboratory Protocol Development ....................................................... 2 2.2. Sample Collection ................................................................................................ 3 2.3. Data Management ................................................................................................ 3 2.4. QAQC Considerations.......................................................................................... 4 2.5. Histology and TEM Processing............................................................................ 4 2.6. Preservation for Molecular Analysis .................................................................... 7 3. SUMMARY OF FIELD RESPONSE EFFORTS ...................................................... 7 4. PRELIMINARY HISTOLOGY AND TEM RESULTS ............................................ 8 4.1. Outreach Contributions ...................................................................................... 12 4.2. Future Recommendations ................................................................................... 12 5. LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................. 12 List of Figures Figure 1: An Orbicella faveolata colony, pre and post-biopsy. Figure 2. Macrophotography series of MCAV specimen example #104 showing unaffected (HU) sample bottom (a) and top (b) views, specimen container with label (c), diseased (HD) sample bottom (d) and top (e) views and sample container (f), and higher magnification photos of diseased bottom (g) and top views (h) and a close up of a Halofolliculina infection on skeletal surface (i). Figure 3: Photographs of putative organisms as seen in histology (a, b) and TEM (c, d). a) endolithic fungi in skeleton of MCAV, stain GMS b) endolithic algae in skeleton of DLAB, stain GMS, c) TEM of putative CLOs in SSID, d) putative stramenopile in CNAT. List of Tables Table 1: Summary of Field Collection Efforts of Reference Samples from Martin County Table 2: Summary of Field Collection Efforts of Reference Samples from West Turtle Table 3: Summary of Field Collection Efforts of Reference Samples from Dustan Rocks Table 4: List of coral samples collected in November 2016 from Broward County shown by the species, specimen number, and health status. Coral Reef Conservation Program iii June 2017 List of Acronyms CLO: chlamydia-like organisms CNAT: Colpophyllia natans CREMP: Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Program DLAB: Diploria labyrinthiformis DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid EDTA: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid DEP: Florida Department of Environmental Protection FKNMS: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary FWC: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission FWRI: Fish and Wildlife Research Institute GMU: George Mason University GMS: Grocott’s methenamine silver H&E: hematoxylin & eosin HD: histology sample from diseased colony HH: histology sample from healthy coral colony HU: unaffected histology sample from diseased coral colony MCAV: Montastraea cavernosa MC3: Martin County 3, a SECREMP site MDC: Miami-Dade County MGP: methyl green pyronin, for microbes NOAA: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration OFAV: Orbicella faveolata PAS: periodic-acid-Schiff PAST: Porites astreoides PCLI: Pseudodiploria clivosa QAQC: Quality Assurance Quality Control RLO: rickettsia-like organisms RTL: rapid tissue loss SECREMP: Southeast Florida Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Program SEFCRI TAC: Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative’s Technical Advisory Committee SOW: scope of work SSID: Siderastrea siderea TEM: transmission electron microscopy Coral Reef Conservation Program iv June 2017 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background Disease is recognized as a major cause of reef-building coral mortality and reef degradation. The first reports of coral disease in the Florida Keys and Caribbean emerged in the 1970’s (reviewed by Richardson 1998). Since that time, worldwide reports have been increasing in frequency and many coral reefs are being decimated (Bruno et al. 2007). The Florida Reef Tract is currently experiencing one of the largest disease outbreaks on record. Multiple diseases have been reported affecting at least 20 species of scleractinian (stony) coral, including primary reef builders and species listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Coral disease outbreaks began in late 2014 offshore the Miami- Dade area, with increased reports peaking in spring 2015 and the outbreak area expanding to the north and south (DEP disease call reporting). Disease prevalence values as high as 80% of all colonies present at a given site were reported offshore of southeast Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties) during this time (DEP reporting). By winter 2015, reports of similar outbreaks were affecting reefs within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in the northern area of the Upper Keys. Throughout 2016 and into 2017, the affected areas spread north through Martin County and south through the Upper Keys. The coral diseases reported include white plague, several uncharacterized