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 January
16th, 2011
Coral Disease Study on Koh Tao
Coral
disease is a relatively new phenomena in the world of marine biology.
Such diseases were unknown 20 or 30 years ago and it is only more
recently that their prevalence has been brought to light. Diseases
are more common as water quality decreases and we humans pump more
and more contaminants (chemicals, pollution and other nutrients)
into the water.
Coral
Diseases proliferate in many environments predominantly due to the
change in water chemistry as a result of anthropogenic influences.
These influences are often direct, in the form of untreated sewage
and waste water or introduced chemicals from sunscreen worn by divers
and Snorkelers. The causes are many, varied and as yet little understood.
Christian Voolstra, a Professor of Marine Science from the King
Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia has
been on Koh Tao for the last week or so observing Koh Tao’s
reefs and collecting samples of some of the islands diseased corals.
On Sunday January 16 IDCS Nathan Cook of Eco Koh Tao joined marine
Conservation Koh Tao and Christian and colleague Farah diving and
collecting some samples from diseased corals around Koh Tao.
A diseased coral colony in Sairee Beach - Porities Lutea
It
was an interesting process and one that was uncomfortable to watch
as Christian chipped away samples from
live coral colonies. I know the damage is a necessary part of the
science allowing an insight into the health of the coral. From each
colony it is important to sample both diseased and healthy coral
tissue to compare them.
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| Both
diseased and healthy corals ready for cleaning. |
Taking
a sample of porities lutea coral. |
Utmost
care is needed also in handling and rinsing the coral fragments,
as it is easy to collect contaminants and bacteria from the surrounding
water. Once back on the boat all of the samples were then rinsed
in filtered seawater, wrapped in foil and deep frozen in preparation
for the return journey to the laboratory for analysis.
Washing and cleaning the samples with filtered sea water.
By
identifying the offending bacteria it is possible to determine the
root cause of the diseases and address those. For example we saw
many examples of white plague disease off the beach in Sairee adjacent
to where the largest outflow of untreated
water flows.
Coral disease is an increasing threat and the more we can learn
about it the better prepared we will be to deal with the increasing
threat this phenomena will no doubt place on our reefs.
Article
By: Nathan Cook
(IDC Staff Instructor, Crystal Dive Resort)
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