Scubaism

A new threat is surfacing that could destroy more coral reefs around the world. The disease, called “white syndrome,” has been observed affecting coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia as well as reefs in Okinawa Prefecture. The new threat comes on the heels of concerns about coral bleaching, which is caused by higher ocean temperatures due to global warming. White syndrome is potentially more troublesome because coral affected by it usually die within a year of infection. Scientists do not yet know the cause of white syndrome but believe it is some sort of infectious disease.

White syndrome has been observed in table coral found in waters about 11 meters deep off the Kerama islands, just west of the main Okinawa island. White lines like those that mark off tracks in athletic meets were found on table coral measuring about 2 meters in diameter.

Akiyuki Irikawa, an expert on coral ecosystems who is also an official with an organization working to preserve the marine environment of the Kerama islands, conducted a study last fall off the coast of Amurojima island, part of the Kerama islands. About 30 percent of the table coral were found to be affected by white syndrome. The white lines moved about 20 centimeters on average over the coral surface in a month’s time, leading to the slow death of the coral.

While coral can recover from bleaching once water temperatures fall, there appears to be no remedy for coral affected by white syndrome because the disease exposes the skeletal structure after tearing away at coral tissue.

Reports of white syndrome sightings have also come in from the Great Barrier Reef, the Caribbean and the Marshall Islands.