USGS Pacific Coral Reefs Website

Reefs at Risk, 1 of 2

Bleaching, Disease, and Algal Encrustation

Stressed physiological conditions may threaten the health and sustainability of coral reefs. Black band, brown band, yellow band, and white band diseases have been reported from the Caribbean. In 1994, the first record of black band disease was reported from Hawai‘i.

Underwater photographs, below, taken in 1988 and 1998 of the same coral head, Montastrea annularis, at Grecian Rocks in the Florida Keys demonstrate the degradation of habitat that has occurred in the last decade. This coral has black band disease.

1988

1998

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