What is this stuff killing the reef?

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

I've been to several locations in the Caribbean and have seen this boogery looking stuff killing reefs. Someone told me it was a type of algae? These particular photos were taken in Curacao (though let me say that they have some of the healthiest reef conditions and fish populations I've seen). I saw a lot of this stuff in Roatan and some in Belize also. Anyone know what it is, what causes it?

 

[maged_mmh]

that's nasty!!

 

[Sharx Inside]

the Crown of Thorns starfish?

 

[raviepoo]

Are you referring to the algae growing on the coral?

The "Stuff" that is killing reefs all over the world is us - homo sapiens sapientis. We're at least partially responsible for the rise in ocean temperatures, the increased particulate matter and fertilizer from run off and construction, the ship groundings, and other physical damage that is killing coral all over the world.

 

[Zach10k]

Yeah, the goobery stuff looks like some kind of algae. The second picture looks like a Colpophyllia colony with white band disease, though

 

[Shoreliner11]

I agree with Zach10k's opinion. The first looks like white band disease. You can distinguish this from coral bleaching namely because of the large white band with no tissue covering the skeleton on the white side. Bleaching will still leave tissue present and won't usually show a definitive line like that.

Aaron

 

[stoyleg]

The algae in the first photo is difficult to identify without a sample but is most likely a type of cyanobacteria or brown filamentous. This type of algae is not currently a persistent problem on the majority of Caribbean reefs (but maybe will become so). The causes are most likely reduction in herbivory from overfishing and disease-induced mortalities and increased nutrient inputs. The other photo is a good example of white plague disease (not to be confused with white band which only affects Acropora species).

George Stoyle
Researcher
Utila Centre for Marine Ecology
http://www.georgestoyle.com

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

Thanks for the info everyone. I've seen just a little of this in certain sites and other spots I've seen a lot of it. It seems to just keep multiplying and spreading. A sad sight.

 

[Shoreliner11]

The algae in the first photo is difficult to identify without a sample but is most likely a type of cyanobacteria or brown filamentous. This type of algae is not currently a persistent problem on the majority of Caribbean reefs (but maybe will become so). The causes are most likely reduction in herbivory from overfishing and disease-induced mortalities and increased nutrient inputs. The other photo is a good example of white plague disease (not to be confused with white band which only affects Acropora species).

George Stoyle
Researcher
Utila Centre for Marine Ecology
http://www.georgestoyle.com

Thanks George for correcting my error. Forgot that white band only infected acroporids.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

This is good information and I'd like to thank everyone for sharing the information.