Fish & Wildlife Disease: Coral Diseases and Reef Health
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By Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program
April 22, 2025
Corals reefs support marine biodiversity, protect coastlines from storm surges and strong waves, and provide income from tourism to coastal communities. Coral diseases were first recognized in the 1970s and are now considered a major threat to coral reef survival worldwide. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) emerged in Florida in 2014, impacting coral reefs in Florida, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and other Caribbean reefs. SCTLD causes high mortality rates in multiple species and now threatens Pacific coral reefs.
In fiscal year 2023, the USGS received \$700,000 of appropriated funding from Congress to be devoted to Coral Disease Research, Detection, and Response (House, Senate). USGS scientists are contributing to the NOAA-led interorganizational stony coral tissue loss disease response effort through specialized expertise in marine veterinary medicine, coral histopathology, coral microbial ecology, coral reef disease ecology, and epidemiology of disease outbreaks. USGS is working with regional and national partners and stakeholders to provide scientific information and decision analysis tools to help manage impacts of coral disease and reef health. This includes participating in the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Coral Disease Working Group.
The USGS is also supporting the response to invasive corallimorphans affecting coral reefs and coral bleaching. Coral disease and reef health research is one component of USGS's larger efforts to investigate coral reef ecosystems and oceans.
USGS Coral Disease and Reef Health Science Team:
USGS Coral Disease and Reef Health Science Team:
James Patrick Cronin, James Evans, Aine C Hawthorn, Margaret Hunter, Deborah D Iwanowicz, Christina Kellogg, Kevin Lafferty, Julien Martin, Travis McDevitt-Galles, Adam A Perez, Maureen K Purcell, Katie Richgels, Caroline Rogers, W. Bane Schill, Daniel P. Walsh, C. LeAnn White, and Thierry M Work
Coral Disease and Reef Health Research
Coral Disease and Reef Health Research
Explore our science using the data below.
Recent publications related to USGS coral disease and reef health research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS coral disease publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 22
Similarities and differences between two deadly Caribbean coral diseases: White plague and stony coral tissue loss disease Similarities and differences between two deadly Caribbean coral diseases: White plague and stony coral tissue loss disease
For several decades, white plagues (WPDs: WPD-I, II and III) and more recently, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) have significantly impacted Caribbean corals. These diseases are often difficult to separate in the field as they produce similar gross signs. Here we aimed to compare what we know about WPD and SCTLD in terms of: (1) pathology, (2) etiology, and (3) epizootiology. We...
Authors
Aldo Cróquer, Ernesto Weil, Caroline Rogers
A comparative baseline of coral disease in three regions along the Saudi Arabian coast of the central Red Sea A comparative baseline of coral disease in three regions along the Saudi Arabian coast of the central Red Sea
Coral disease is a growing problem for coral reefs globally and diseases have been linked to thermal stress, excess nutrients, overfishing and other human impacts. The Red Sea is a unique environment for corals with a strong environmental gradient characterized by temperature extremes and high salinities, but minimal terrestrial runoff or riverine input and their associated pollution...
Authors
Greta S. Aeby, Amanda Shore, Thor Jensen, Maren Ziegler, Thierry M. Work, Christian Voolstra
Global tropical reef fish richness could decline by around half if corals are lost Global tropical reef fish richness could decline by around half if corals are lost
Reef fishes are a treasured part of marine biodiversity, and also provide needed protein for many millions of people. Although most reef fishes might survive projected increases in ocean temperatures, corals are less tolerant. A few fish species strictly depend on corals for food and shelter, suggesting that coral extinctions could lead to some secondary fish extinctions. However...
Authors
Giovanni Strona, Kevin D. Lafferty, Simone Fattorini, Pieter Beck, Francois Guilhaumon, Roberto Arrigoni, Simone Montano, Davide Seveso, Paolo Galli, Serge Planes, Valeriano Parravicini
Identifying metabolic alterations associated with coral growth anomalies using 1H NMR metabolomics Identifying metabolic alterations associated with coral growth anomalies using 1H NMR metabolomics
Coral growth anomalies (GAs) are tumor-like protrusions that are detrimental to coral health, affecting both the coral skeleton and soft tissues. These lesions are increasingly found throughout the tropics and are commonly associated with high human population density, yet little is known about the molecular pathology of the disease. Here, we investigate the metabolic impacts of GAs...
Authors
Erik R. Andersson, Rusty D. Day, Thierry M. Work, Paul E. Anderson, Cheryl M. Woodley, Tracey B. Schock
Stony coral tissue loss disease in Florida is associated with disruption of host–zooxanthellae physiology Stony coral tissue loss disease in Florida is associated with disruption of host–zooxanthellae physiology
Samples from eight species of corals (Colpophyllia natans, Dendrogyra cylindrus, Diploria labyrinthiformis, Meandrina meandrites, Montastraea cavernosa, Orbicella faveolata, Pseudodiploria strigosa, and Siderastrea siderea) that exhibited gross clinical signs of acute, subacute, or chronic tissue loss attributed to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) were collected from the Florida...
Authors
Jan Landsberg, Yasu Kiryu, Esther Peters, Patrick Wilson, Yvonne Waters, Kerry Maxwell, Lindsay Huebner, Thierry M. Work
Annual outbreaks of coral disease coincide with extreme seasonal warming Annual outbreaks of coral disease coincide with extreme seasonal warming
Reef-building corals living in extreme environments can provide insight into the negative effects of future climate scenarios. In hot environments, coral communities experience disproportionate thermal stress as they live very near or at their upper thermal limits. This results in a high frequency of bleaching episodes, but it is unknown whether temperature-driven outbreaks of coral...
Authors
Emily Howells, Grace Vaughan, Thierry M. Work, John Burt, David Abrego
Morphological, elemental, and boron isotopic insights into pathophysiology of diseased coral growth anomalies Morphological, elemental, and boron isotopic insights into pathophysiology of diseased coral growth anomalies
Growth anomalies (GAs) impact both coral skeleton and soft tissues and are detrimental to reef health. This tumor-like disease is increasingly found throughout the tropics and is commonly associated with high human population density, yet little is known about the etiology, pathology, or calcification behavior of the disease. Here, we investigate potential mechanisms involved in the...
Authors
Erik Andersson, Joseph A. E. Stewart, Thierry M. Work, Cheryl M. Woodley, Tracey B. Schock, Russell D. Day
Disturbances drive changes in coral community assemblages and coral calcification capacity Disturbances drive changes in coral community assemblages and coral calcification capacity
Anthropogenic environmental change has increased coral reef disturbance regimes in recent decades, altering the structure and function of many coral reefs globally. In this study, we used coral community survey data collected from 1996 to 2015 to evaluate coral calcification capacity (CCC) dynamics with respect to recorded pulse disturbances for 121 reef sites in the Main Hawaiian...
Authors
Travis A. Courtney, Brian B. Barnes, Iliana Chollett, Robin Elahi, Kevin Gross, James R. Guest, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Hanna R Nelson, Caroline Rogers, Lauren Toth, Andreas J Andersson
Localized outbreaks of coral disease on Arabian reefs are linked to extreme temperatures and environmental stressors Localized outbreaks of coral disease on Arabian reefs are linked to extreme temperatures and environmental stressors
The Arabian Peninsula borders the hottest reefs in the world, and corals living in these extreme environments can provide insight into the effects of warming on coral health and disease. Here, we examined coral reef health at 17 sites across three regions along the northeastern Arabian Peninsula (Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Oman Sea) representing a gradient of environmental...
Authors
Greta S. Aeby, Emily Howells, Thierry M. Work, David Abrego, Gareth J. Williams, Lisa M. Wedding, Jamie M. Caldwell, Monica M Moritsch, John Burt
Disease of coral and coral reef fishes Disease of coral and coral reef fishes
The Department of the Interior protects sensitive habitats amounting to about 3,600,000 acres of coral reefs and other submerged lands. These reefs are important ecosystems in 13 National Wildlife Refuges, 10 National Parks and in certain territorial waters such as the Wake Atoll.
Authors
Frank Panek
High water temperatures bleaching coral along south Florida coast High water temperatures bleaching coral along south Florida coast
As much of the world grapples with historic heat waves exacerbated by climate change and the ongoing El Nino event, ocean temperatures are also on the rise.
USGS Coral Disease Science Team:
James Patrick Cronin, Ph.D.
Research Ecologist
Research Ecologist
Email
James Evans, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Research Marine Biologist
Research Marine Biologist
Deborah D Iwanowicz, PhD
Acting Environmental Health Program Coordinator
Acting Environmental Health Program Coordinator
Email
Christina Kellogg, Ph.D.
Research Microbiologist
Research Microbiologist
Email
Phone
Kevin Lafferty
Senior Ecologist, ST
Senior Ecologist, ST
Email
Phone
Julien Martin, Ph.D.
Supervisory Biologist
Supervisory Biologist
Email
Phone
Maureen K Purcell, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Deputy Center Director
Deputy Center Director
Katie Richgels
Chief, Ecology and Epidemiology Branch
Chief, Ecology and Epidemiology Branch
Email
Phone
Caroline Rogers, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Scientist Emeritus
Scientist Emeritus
W. Bane Schill (Former Employee)
Research Chemist
Research Chemist
Thierry M Work
Wildlife Disease Specialist
Wildlife Disease Specialist
Email
Phone
Corals reefs support marine biodiversity, protect coastlines from storm surges and strong waves, and provide income from tourism to coastal communities. Coral diseases were first recognized in the 1970s and are now considered a major threat to coral reef survival worldwide. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) emerged in Florida in 2014, impacting coral reefs in Florida, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and other Caribbean reefs. SCTLD causes high mortality rates in multiple species and now threatens Pacific coral reefs.
In fiscal year 2023, the USGS received \$700,000 of appropriated funding from Congress to be devoted to Coral Disease Research, Detection, and Response (House, Senate). USGS scientists are contributing to the NOAA-led interorganizational stony coral tissue loss disease response effort through specialized expertise in marine veterinary medicine, coral histopathology, coral microbial ecology, coral reef disease ecology, and epidemiology of disease outbreaks. USGS is working with regional and national partners and stakeholders to provide scientific information and decision analysis tools to help manage impacts of coral disease and reef health. This includes participating in the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Coral Disease Working Group.
The USGS is also supporting the response to invasive corallimorphans affecting coral reefs and coral bleaching. Coral disease and reef health research is one component of USGS's larger efforts to investigate coral reef ecosystems and oceans.
USGS Coral Disease and Reef Health Science Team:
USGS Coral Disease and Reef Health Science Team:
James Patrick Cronin, James Evans, Aine C Hawthorn, Margaret Hunter, Deborah D Iwanowicz, Christina Kellogg, Kevin Lafferty, Julien Martin, Travis McDevitt-Galles, Adam A Perez, Maureen K Purcell, Katie Richgels, Caroline Rogers, W. Bane Schill, Daniel P. Walsh, C. LeAnn White, and Thierry M Work
Coral Disease and Reef Health Research
Coral Disease and Reef Health Research
Explore our science using the data below.
Recent publications related to USGS coral disease and reef health research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS coral disease publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 22
Similarities and differences between two deadly Caribbean coral diseases: White plague and stony coral tissue loss disease Similarities and differences between two deadly Caribbean coral diseases: White plague and stony coral tissue loss disease
For several decades, white plagues (WPDs: WPD-I, II and III) and more recently, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) have significantly impacted Caribbean corals. These diseases are often difficult to separate in the field as they produce similar gross signs. Here we aimed to compare what we know about WPD and SCTLD in terms of: (1) pathology, (2) etiology, and (3) epizootiology. We...
Authors
Aldo Cróquer, Ernesto Weil, Caroline Rogers
A comparative baseline of coral disease in three regions along the Saudi Arabian coast of the central Red Sea A comparative baseline of coral disease in three regions along the Saudi Arabian coast of the central Red Sea
Coral disease is a growing problem for coral reefs globally and diseases have been linked to thermal stress, excess nutrients, overfishing and other human impacts. The Red Sea is a unique environment for corals with a strong environmental gradient characterized by temperature extremes and high salinities, but minimal terrestrial runoff or riverine input and their associated pollution...
Authors
Greta S. Aeby, Amanda Shore, Thor Jensen, Maren Ziegler, Thierry M. Work, Christian Voolstra
Global tropical reef fish richness could decline by around half if corals are lost Global tropical reef fish richness could decline by around half if corals are lost
Reef fishes are a treasured part of marine biodiversity, and also provide needed protein for many millions of people. Although most reef fishes might survive projected increases in ocean temperatures, corals are less tolerant. A few fish species strictly depend on corals for food and shelter, suggesting that coral extinctions could lead to some secondary fish extinctions. However...
Authors
Giovanni Strona, Kevin D. Lafferty, Simone Fattorini, Pieter Beck, Francois Guilhaumon, Roberto Arrigoni, Simone Montano, Davide Seveso, Paolo Galli, Serge Planes, Valeriano Parravicini
Identifying metabolic alterations associated with coral growth anomalies using 1H NMR metabolomics Identifying metabolic alterations associated with coral growth anomalies using 1H NMR metabolomics
Coral growth anomalies (GAs) are tumor-like protrusions that are detrimental to coral health, affecting both the coral skeleton and soft tissues. These lesions are increasingly found throughout the tropics and are commonly associated with high human population density, yet little is known about the molecular pathology of the disease. Here, we investigate the metabolic impacts of GAs...
Authors
Erik R. Andersson, Rusty D. Day, Thierry M. Work, Paul E. Anderson, Cheryl M. Woodley, Tracey B. Schock
Stony coral tissue loss disease in Florida is associated with disruption of host–zooxanthellae physiology Stony coral tissue loss disease in Florida is associated with disruption of host–zooxanthellae physiology
Samples from eight species of corals (Colpophyllia natans, Dendrogyra cylindrus, Diploria labyrinthiformis, Meandrina meandrites, Montastraea cavernosa, Orbicella faveolata, Pseudodiploria strigosa, and Siderastrea siderea) that exhibited gross clinical signs of acute, subacute, or chronic tissue loss attributed to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) were collected from the Florida...
Authors
Jan Landsberg, Yasu Kiryu, Esther Peters, Patrick Wilson, Yvonne Waters, Kerry Maxwell, Lindsay Huebner, Thierry M. Work
Annual outbreaks of coral disease coincide with extreme seasonal warming Annual outbreaks of coral disease coincide with extreme seasonal warming
Reef-building corals living in extreme environments can provide insight into the negative effects of future climate scenarios. In hot environments, coral communities experience disproportionate thermal stress as they live very near or at their upper thermal limits. This results in a high frequency of bleaching episodes, but it is unknown whether temperature-driven outbreaks of coral...
Authors
Emily Howells, Grace Vaughan, Thierry M. Work, John Burt, David Abrego
Morphological, elemental, and boron isotopic insights into pathophysiology of diseased coral growth anomalies Morphological, elemental, and boron isotopic insights into pathophysiology of diseased coral growth anomalies
Growth anomalies (GAs) impact both coral skeleton and soft tissues and are detrimental to reef health. This tumor-like disease is increasingly found throughout the tropics and is commonly associated with high human population density, yet little is known about the etiology, pathology, or calcification behavior of the disease. Here, we investigate potential mechanisms involved in the...
Authors
Erik Andersson, Joseph A. E. Stewart, Thierry M. Work, Cheryl M. Woodley, Tracey B. Schock, Russell D. Day
Disturbances drive changes in coral community assemblages and coral calcification capacity Disturbances drive changes in coral community assemblages and coral calcification capacity
Anthropogenic environmental change has increased coral reef disturbance regimes in recent decades, altering the structure and function of many coral reefs globally. In this study, we used coral community survey data collected from 1996 to 2015 to evaluate coral calcification capacity (CCC) dynamics with respect to recorded pulse disturbances for 121 reef sites in the Main Hawaiian...
Authors
Travis A. Courtney, Brian B. Barnes, Iliana Chollett, Robin Elahi, Kevin Gross, James R. Guest, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Hanna R Nelson, Caroline Rogers, Lauren Toth, Andreas J Andersson
Localized outbreaks of coral disease on Arabian reefs are linked to extreme temperatures and environmental stressors Localized outbreaks of coral disease on Arabian reefs are linked to extreme temperatures and environmental stressors
The Arabian Peninsula borders the hottest reefs in the world, and corals living in these extreme environments can provide insight into the effects of warming on coral health and disease. Here, we examined coral reef health at 17 sites across three regions along the northeastern Arabian Peninsula (Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Oman Sea) representing a gradient of environmental...
Authors
Greta S. Aeby, Emily Howells, Thierry M. Work, David Abrego, Gareth J. Williams, Lisa M. Wedding, Jamie M. Caldwell, Monica M Moritsch, John Burt
Disease of coral and coral reef fishes Disease of coral and coral reef fishes
The Department of the Interior protects sensitive habitats amounting to about 3,600,000 acres of coral reefs and other submerged lands. These reefs are important ecosystems in 13 National Wildlife Refuges, 10 National Parks and in certain territorial waters such as the Wake Atoll.
Authors
Frank Panek
High water temperatures bleaching coral along south Florida coast High water temperatures bleaching coral along south Florida coast
As much of the world grapples with historic heat waves exacerbated by climate change and the ongoing El Nino event, ocean temperatures are also on the rise.
USGS Coral Disease Science Team:
James Patrick Cronin, Ph.D.
Research Ecologist
Research Ecologist
Email
James Evans, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Research Marine Biologist
Research Marine Biologist
Deborah D Iwanowicz, PhD
Acting Environmental Health Program Coordinator
Acting Environmental Health Program Coordinator
Email
Christina Kellogg, Ph.D.
Research Microbiologist
Research Microbiologist
Email
Phone
Kevin Lafferty
Senior Ecologist, ST
Senior Ecologist, ST
Email
Phone
Julien Martin, Ph.D.
Supervisory Biologist
Supervisory Biologist
Email
Phone
Maureen K Purcell, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Deputy Center Director
Deputy Center Director
Katie Richgels
Chief, Ecology and Epidemiology Branch
Chief, Ecology and Epidemiology Branch
Email
Phone
Caroline Rogers, Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Scientist Emeritus
Scientist Emeritus
W. Bane Schill (Former Employee)
Research Chemist
Research Chemist
Thierry M Work
Wildlife Disease Specialist
Wildlife Disease Specialist
Email
Phone