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PI: Greta Aeby, PhD
There has been a worldwide increase in the reports of diseases
affecting marine organisms. In the Caribbean, mass mortalities
among organisms in reef ecosystems have resulted in major
shifts in community structure. However, our ability to fully
understand recent disease outbreaks is hampered by the paucity
of baseline and epizootiological information on disease levels
in the ocean. Our research group has initiated studies of
coral,
fish and crustose coralline algae disease in Hawaii (main and
northwestern Hawaiian Islands) and in other areas of the
Indo-Pacific. Using a combination of field surveys and
laboratory investigations, including histopathology and
microbiology, our goal is to document lesions in marine
organisms and determine their potential causes.
Acropora
growth anomalies from American Samoa
Our main objectives
are to:
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Conduct field
surveys to get a baseline of the abundance and distribution of
diseases in corals, fish and crustose coralline algae.
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Systematically
describe gross and microscopic morphology of lesions in corals
and fish.
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Culture and identify
potential pathogens associated with diseased corals.
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Conduct focused
studies to understand the epizootiology of the different
diseases.
Surgeonfish
(Ctenochaetus strigosus) with skin disease from the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
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