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Significant Mortality Event History
Caribbean coral diseases were first reported in the 1970s, but these early reports received little
attention until the late 1980s. In 1983, the herbivorous urchin, Diadema, experienced
mass mortality throughout the Caribbean, and within three months, the population was decimated.
The effect of this die-off was immediate and obvious. Algae normally grazed by Diadema
from dead coral surfaces proliferated, interfering with coral growth and with competition for
recruitment space for new coral.
Almost at the same time, two important Caribbean reef-building species also experienced
mass mortality. In the absence of Diadema, coral surfaces soon were overgrown by
algae. In 1987, a second major disease event struck Caribbean populations of coral and sponges
resulting in bleaching of coral surfaces. Bleaching, along with black band disease, proliferated in
the 1980s, and accelerated in 1997-1998.
Timeline:
- 1973-74: Black band disease makes its appearance in the Caribbean.
- 1978-79: Staghorn and elkhorn corals suffer die-off in Florida.
- 1980-81: Staghorn and elkhorn corals die in Jamaica.
- 1982-83: Staghorn and elkhorn corals die throughout the Caribbean (major El-Niño).
Sea urchin Diadema, a key reef herbivore, dies throughout the Caribbean, allowing algal infestation of dead corals.
- 1985-87: Black band disease rampant in Florida.
Corals bleach throughout the Caribbean and seas grasses die in Florida (major El-Niño).
- 1990: Corals bleach in Florida.
- 1994: Corals bleach in Florida.
- 1998: Corals bleach throughout the Caribbean (major El-Niño).
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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
