by Lucy Jack

During July and August, a research team from the University of Edinburgh worked with CEA to investigate Yellow Band Syndrome (YBS). Coral reef health is under global threat and there has been a region-wide decline in corals across the whole Caribbean basin. One cause of this decline is the emergence and spread of new coral diseases. The causes of these diseases are for the best part unknown and they continue to induce a gradual shift in the vital status of coral reef ecosystems.

It has been suggested that coral diseases may be associated with a decline in reef environmental quality. Though little quantitative work has been carried out in this area, some research has been carried out in Akumal, by several universities. This is a new and developing field of research. Defining environmental factors and community structures that are associated with a coral disease are important in terms of understanding its cause.

Yellow band syndrome is a voracious and fatal disease, which affects Montastrea corals, an important group of reef-building species. The team aims to investigate the relationship between YBS incidence and reef water quality among other factors.