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Award Abstract #0326269
Collaborative Research: Origins and Spread of the Aspergillus-Gorgonian Coral Epizootic: Role of Climate and Environmental Facilitators
| NSF Org: |
OCE
Division of Ocean Sciences
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| Initial Amendment Date: |
September 10, 2003 |
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| Latest Amendment Date: |
September 10, 2003 |
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| Award Number: |
0326269 |
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| Award Instrument: |
Standard Grant |
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| Program Manager: |
Donald L. Rice
OCE Division of Ocean Sciences
GEO Directorate for Geosciences
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| Start Date: |
September 1, 2003 |
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| Expires: |
August 31, 2008 (Estimated) |
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| Awarded Amount to Date: |
$162083 |
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| Investigator(s): |
Garriet Smith smithres@usca.edu (Principal Investigator)
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| Sponsor: |
University South Carolina Research Foundation
901 Sumter Street
Columbia, SC 29208 803/777-7093
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| NSF Program(s): |
BE: NON-ANNOUNCEMENT RESEARCH
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| Field Application(s): |
0204000 Oceanography
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
OTHR, 9169, 7242, 1670, 0000
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| Program Element Code(s): |
1629
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ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
OCE-0326705 / OCE-0326983 / OCE-0326269 / OCE-0326698
Recent high rates of disease outbreaks on coral reefs may be caused by climate-related stress, increased inputs of new pathogens, or both. The inability to use traditional methods of disease management in marine systems (culling, vaccination, quarantine) adds urgency to understanding and controlling disease in the ocean. The most practical remediation for coral disease is to control inputs and spread. Yet, we do not know the origin of any coral pathogen nor do we understand mechanisms of transmission. The aspergillus - sea fan coral epizootic is an excellent model system for testing hypotheses about the origins of emergent marine disease, the relative importance of transmission and resistance in outbreaks and particularly the role of environmental facilitators. In this project, researchers at Cornell University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of South Carolina, and the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute will investigate this system through a research program combining linked experimental and theoretical approaches. The objectives are
(1) to determine the origins of the aspergillosis outbreak in sea fans, using microsatellite markers;
(2) to evaluate the role of host resistance through development of immunological assays;
(3) to evaluate experimentally the role of environmental facilitators in the outbreak;
(4) to assess demographic and spatial determinants of infection risk; and
(5) to develop a predictive theory of disease outbreak and spread through a spatial model for spread of disease in coral populations, embedded in an agent- based framework.
The project is expected to have broad educational and international impacts because will enrich undergraduate teaching programs in Akumal, Mexico, and train high school students, undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at field sites and at the home research institutions. The primary intellectual merit of this project is bringing current theory in wildlife disease to a tropical marine study system that is easily manipulated. The project will be enhanced by seeking applied outcomes for management of coral reefs and forging new directions in the ecology of marine and particularly coral reef diseases through interactions with NOAA and World Bank targeted research initiatives.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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Gil-Agudelo DL , DP. Fonseca, E. Weil, J. Garzón-Ferreira, GW Smith. "Bacterial communities associated with the mucopolysaccharide layers of three coral species affected and unaffected with dark spots disease.," Canadian Journal of Microbiology, v.53, 2007, p. 465.
Gil-Aguedlo DL, Ali-Hassan L, Kim K, Smith GW.. "Characterization of coral surface microbiota using metabolic profiling," Proc. 10th Internat. Coral Reef Symp., 2006, p. 146.
Gil-Aguedlo DL, C Myers, GW Smith, K Kim.. "Changes in the microbial communities associated with Gorgonia ventalina during Aspergillosis infection," Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, v.69, 2006, p. 89.
Gil-Aguedlo DL, GW Smith E Weil. "The white band disease type II pathogen in Puerto Rico.," Rev. Biol. Tropical, v.54, 2006, p. 59.
Gil-Aguedlo,DL; Ali-Hassan,L; Kim,K; Smith,GW. "Characterization of coral surface microbiota using metabolic profiling," Proceedings of the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium, 2006, p. 146.
Gil-Aguedlo,DL; Myers,C; Smith,GW; Kim,K. "Changes in the microbial communities associated with Gorgonia ventalina during Aspergillosis infection," Diseases of Aquatic Orgnaisms, v.69, 2006, p. 89.
Harvell D, Merkel S, Jordan-Dahlgren E, Rosenberg E, Raymundo L, Smith G, Weil E, Willis B. "Coral Diseases: the balance between coral and microbial associates," Oceanography, v.20, 2007, p. 58.
Harvell,D; Merkel,S; Jordan-Dahlgren,E; Rosenberg,E; Raymundo,L; Smith,GW; Weil,E; Willis,B. "Coral Diseases: the balance between coral and microbial associates," Oceanography, v.20, 2007, p. 58.
McGrath,TA; Smith,GW; Rollino,J. "A decade-long evaluation of three coral patch reefs of San Salvador, Bahamas," Bahamian Naturalist and J of Science, v.2, 2007, p. 4.
Smith GW and E Weil.. "Diseases of coral reef organisms: Evolutionary aspects, current status and prognosis.," Proc. 10th Internat. Coral Reef Symp., 2006, p. 132.
Smith,GW; Weil,E. "Diseases of coral reef organisms: Evolutionary aspects, current status and prognosis," Proceedings of the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium, 2006, p. 132.
Ward, JR, KL Rypien, J Bruno, CD Harvell, E Jordan-Dahlgren, KM Mullen, RE Rodriguez-Martinez, J Sanchez, GW Smith. "Coral diversity and disease in Mexico.," Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, v.69, 2006, p. 23.
Warren,M; Leverette,CL; Smith,MA; Smith,GW. "Carotenoid is the purple pigment in Gorgonia ventalina sclerites," Spectrochimica Acta part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, v.69, 2008, p. 1058.
Weil E, GW Smith, D Gil-Agudelo. "Status and progress in coral reef disease research.," Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, v.69, 2006, p. 1.
Weil,E; Smith,GW; Gil-Agudelo,D. "Status and progress in coral reef disease research," Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, v.69, 2006, p. 1.
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