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Coral disease at Ningaloo Marine Park


Posted on 20 December 2012

TitleCoral disease at Ningaloo Marine Park
Publication TypeGovernment Report
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsWilson, SK, Onton K, Page CA, Neale S, Armstrong S
DepartmentDivision, S
Corporate AuthorsDepartment of Environment and Conservation
Series TitleInformation Sheet
Volume2012
Edition60
PublisherDepartment of Environment and Conservation
Report Number60 / 2012
Keywordscoral disease, Ningaloo Marine Park
AbstractCoral disease occurs when an abnormal condition impairs the health of the coral colony. This is often associated with infections from microbes which leave characteristic lesions on the colony surface. Disease is a natural component of ecosystems; however when corals become stressed their susceptibility to disease increases, which may lead to disease outbreaks. These outbreaks have contributed to regional declines in coral cover and have been linked to increased stress from both natural and anthropogenic pressures. Most of the work on coral disease has been carried out on reefs within the Caribbean or the Pacific Ocean. There is comparatively little information on levels of coral disease on Western Australia reefs. To address this lack of information the prevalence of coral disease along the Ningaloo Marine Park was assessed in 2009 and 2010.
URLhttp://www.dec.wa.gov.au/publications/2/doc_download/8048-coral-disease-at-ningaloo-marine-park.html