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Diseases
and diminishing health condition among corals have dramatically increased=
in frequency
and distribution over the last decade, leading to unprecedented decreases=
in
live coral and altering the function and productivity of coral reef
ecosystems. Responding to this threat requires improved scientific
understanding and tools to: 1) detect and assess trends in coral diseases=
at
the necessary scales for scientific investigation and policy development;=
2)
determine the causes and consequences of increasing disease frequency and
distribution; and 3) evaluate possible management responses designed to
mitigate the spread and affects of disease on coral reef ecosystems and t=
heir
users. The
Coral Disease and Health Consortium (CDHC) was
created in 2002, in response to the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force’s
(USCRTF) National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs. Our goal is to pro=
vide
coastal and ocean managers with scientific understanding and tools to help
protect healthy coral reef ecosystems and restore degraded ones. The
CDHC is a network of field and laboratory scientists, coral reef
managers, and agency representatives devoted to understanding coral health
and disease. It is extensive, highly collaborative, and completely volunt=
ary.
Currently over 50 partners, including federal agencies, EPA, DOI, =
NOAA
along with academia, non-profit and industry, contribute their time and
expertise to the CDHC, while organizational infrastructure is supported by
the Congressionally funded Coral Conservation Program. The commitment to share information, ideas, and
common goals led to the development of a national research plan (Coral
Disease and Health: A National Research Plan) that has inspired many =
to
seek funding and devote new resources to the study and amelioration of co=
ral
disease. Our
vision is ‘to understand and address the effects of natural and
anthropogenic stressors on corals in order to contribute to the preservat=
ion
and protection of coral reef ecosystems’. To realize this
vision the CDHC serves to: ·=
unify the coral health and disease resear=
ch
community ·=
implement research priorities identified =
in
the National Research Plan ·=
update and maintain the National Research
Plan ·=
develop tools and methodologies for diagn=
osis
and assessment ·=
provide an expert knowledge system for us=
e in
diagnosis and epizootiology provide education=
and
outreach tools to equip a new generation of coral researchers -Personal communication from Dr. Cheryl Woodley, Chair=
of
the U.S. CDHC. |
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