Status of Coral Health and Disease in Kessilampe Waters, Kendari, South East Sulawesi

Abstract

Diseases of coral reef organisms have become a global threat to coral reefs and a major cause of reef deterioration. The presence of coral diseases influence marine resources productivity that interact with coral reefs. The purpose of this research is to identify coral disease types and prevalence which include coral health compromiser. Data collection was done by using 40 m2 belt transects at three observation stations. The result showed that the White Syndrome (WS), Bleaching, Ulcerative White Spot (UWS), Skeleton Eroding Band (SEB), White Patch (WP), and Non Focal Bleaching were found at research sites, while the coral health compromisers were Sediment damage, fish bite, invertebrate galls, flatworm infestation, and pigmentation response. In addition disease of White Syndrome (WS), Bleaching, and Ulcerative White Spot (UWS) were the main disease with prevalence of disease is approximately 4%, while the others were lower than 1%. Overall the prevalence of diseases (14,52%) is higher than compromise health (13,98%). A total of 186 coral colonies observed with 27 colonies were affected by diseases. Meanwhile, the waters quality (salinity, pH, and nitrate) were below the threshold quality standards for marine aquatic animal and not supported of coral organism was presume organisms against pathogens bacterial. Although the prevalence of coral disease is still in normal condition but the decrease of water quality can lead the risk. Good management is required from local government to improve the water quality especially from terrestrial impact.

Oceanographic conditions and sedimentation in the Kawal river Bintan Island and impact on the prevalence of coral disease

“…Sediment stress and turbidity from offshore dredging and high runoff events owing to land-use change are associated with an increase in the frequency of coral diseases on surrounding reefs, according to previous research [26]. Although numerous variables can impact coral health, sedimentation is the most significant issue in shallow water [27]. More than 10,000 bacteria were discovered in the substrate of coral reefs or the body of coral (coral tissue) in a previous study [27].…”

“…Coral disease prevalence data collection using the Belt Transect method, with a transect length of 50 m [27]. The data collected for coral were the number of coral colonies infected with the disease and the number of colonies along the predetermined transect.…”

“…Although numerous variables can impact coral health, sedimentation is the most significant issue in shallow water [27]. More than 10,000 bacteria were discovered in the substrate of coral reefs or the body of coral (coral tissue) in a previous study [27]. When fine nutrient-rich silt settles on reef-building corals, it can bleach or destroy exposed tissue due to the coral removal process from sedimentation, primarily caused by runoff and wave resuspension [28].…”

Prevalence and abundance of coral disease in Aceh Besar regency Aceh, Indonesia

“…Unfortunately, in the recent decade, coral reefs have been under excessive pressure (Burke et al, 2002;Arifin, 2004). The main causes that of coral damage are oil pollution, excessive biota exploitation, destructive fishing, pollution, sedimentation, predatory animals, coral bleaching, diseases and climate change (Fadila and Idris, 2009;Bruckner et al, 2007, Palupi et al, 2018Ulfah et al, 2022).…”

Short communication: Algal genotypes in White Syndrome infected coral Acropora muricata from the Karimunjawa Islands, Indonesia

“…More recently, the Acroporid white syndrome appeared at Palk Bay Reef, southeast coast of India and killed 8% of Acroporid corals (Thinesh et al 2017). While in Indonesia, the disease was divulged from Wakatobi (Haapkylä et al 2007) and Kessilampe waters, Southeast Sulawesi (Palupi et al 2018), Seribu Islands (Johan et al 2015;Rosyid and Lutfi 2019), Karimunjawa Islands (Sabdono et al 2019), and Sempu Beach, East Java (Rosdianto et al 2020).…”