Assessing the effects of environmental cofactors on Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) transmission and progression rates

This project aimed to test if controlled ex-situ environmental co-factors (nutrient & temperature) can exacerbate or mitigate SCTLD transmission. The researchers designed and utilized an automated high-replication system that was capable of running independent disease transmission assays while at the same time incorporating high- precision dosing of stressors. They found that corals exposed to higher temperatures (31 °C vs 28 °C) experienced lower disease transmission rates, independently of the nutrient treatment. These experimental results support previous field studies that have found a reduction in SCTLD activity during the summer – the hotter months.