Coral Disease Causes, Consequences, and Risk within Coral Restoration

• Published in: Trends in microbiology (Regular ed.) Vol. 28; no. 10; pp. 793 - 807
• Main Authors: Moriarty, T., Leggat, W., Huggett, M.J., Ainsworth, T.D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2020; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: coral disease; Coral reefs; diagnostics; Disease spread; health; Health risks; Marine ecosystems; Marine parks; microbiome; Microbiomes; Mortality; reef restoration; Restoration; Risk management; risk management; reef restoration; diagnostics; mortality; health; microbiome; coral disease
• ISSN: 0966-842X; 1878-4380
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.002

As a result of increased reef degradation, restoration efforts are now being widely applied on coral reefs. However, outplanted coral survival in restoration zones varies substantially, and coral mortality can be a significant limitation to the success of restoration efforts. With reef restoration now occurring within, and adjacent to, nationally preserved and managed marine parks, the potential risks of mortality events and disease spread to adjacent marine populations need to be considered, particularly as these ecosystems continue to decline. We review the causes and consequences of coral mortality and disease outbreaks within the context of coral restoration, highlighting knowledge gaps in our understanding of the restored coral microbiome and discussing management practices for assessing coral disease. We identify the need for research efforts into monitoring and diagnostics of disease within coral restoration, as well as practices to mitigate and manage coral disease risks in restoration. Conservation efforts coupled with local-scale restoration have now become a high priority for coral reefs worldwide.Coral mortality and disease events have remained high when corals are returned to their reef habitat.Restoration efforts are not yet able to manage mortality events, or the risks of disease spread to neighboring reefs.There are ongoing shortfalls in our understanding of both coral disease and mortality, particularly when applied to coral outplanting and mariculture.Understanding the underlying microbial, biological, and environmental drivers of mortality and disease in restoration programs provides a means by which to develop optimal strategies to support coral survival.