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A New Perspective for Coral Health Assessment From the Tool Box to the Tool Kit. Cheryl M. Woodley NOAA NOS NCCOS Charleston, SC. Craig A. Downs EnVirtue Biotechnologies, Inc Winchester, VA. Overview. Environmental Cellular Diagnostics What is it? How does it work?
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A New Perspective for Coral Health Assessment From the Tool Box to the Tool Kit Cheryl M. Woodley NOAA NOS NCCOS Charleston, SC Craig A. Downs EnVirtue Biotechnologies, Inc Winchester, VA
Overview • Environmental Cellular Diagnostics • What is it? • How does it work? • Cellular Diagnostics and coral • Coral Bleaching • Coral Health Global vs Local • Emerging Technologies for Managers
Current monitoring methods ignore important links in the biological hierarchy Ecosystem Infer Communities Monitor Populations Monitor Individuals Organs Tissues Cells & Molecules Stress
Need for New Methodologies • Traditional methods detect disturbance only afterthe community has been altered. • More sensitive techniques needed to detect stress beforelevels are high enough to degrade community.
Need for New Methodologies • Risk (1999) specifically addressed need for integration of monitoring with research designed to identify stressors and determine causality.
Environmental Cellular Diagnostic System (patent-pending) Metal stress CYP P450 Fuel stress Metallothionein Cu/Zn SOD Oxidative stress
Cellular Bioindicators • Oxidative Stress • Superoxide Dismutases • Catalase • Protein carbonyl • sHsps • Toxic Stress • P450s • Metallothioneins • P glycoproteins, MDR Immune Competence • Cellular Integrity • LPO, HNE • Ferrochelatase • Glutathione • Ubiquitin • Hsp 60, 70 • Genomic Integrity • DNA Adducts • Abasic sites • Micronuclei
Goal: • To determine health condition • To determine susceptibility • To identify stressor • To predict outcomes (prognosis) … with information from the cell
Sampling Locations Site Name Depth 1 Rodriguez Key 3 m 2 SW Three Sisters 6 m 3 Between Molasses and Pickels 10 m 4 SW Molasses 18 m 5 White Bank 6 m 6 Algae reef 6 m 7 Alina’s reef 6 m 8 East Bache Shoal 6m Map by Mike Callahan
Significant Regressors • March water temperature (R2 = 0.37, P < 0.002). • NOAA currently uses water temperature to predict coral bleaching hot spots.
A Better Regressor: Chloroplast Small Heat Shock Protein 0.96 Probability of coral condition in September 0.30 X2 = 13.4, P < 0.0005 R2 = 0.45 chlpsHsp concentration in March Pg chlpsHsp/mg total protein
Emerging Technologies for Managers The Tool Kit….
Does human activity contribute to mass coral bleaching? • Prevalent notion is that bleaching is not manageable • Assumption has not been demonstrated • Negligence in managing coral reef resources
Could recreational activity and/or residential development affect coral bleaching?
Anti-Foulant Paints • Irgarol 1051 approved by U.S. EPA in 1998 • Levels of Irgarol 1051 in water column as high as 600-800 ppb in many places in the Florida Keys and Bermuda • 10 ppb Irgarol can drop coral photosynthesis by 60% in 8 hours
Could watershed development and management affect coral bleaching?
Environmental Cellular Diagnostics as a resource management and regulatory instrument • Determine if a chemical or activity might exacerbate coral bleaching - prevention • Identify reefs that are at risk • Better manage coral reef resources
U.S. NOAA Florida Keys NMS NPS (Biscayne) Flower Gardens NMS U.S. Geological Survey Aust. Instit. Mar. Sci Environmental Moorings Intl. Oxis Research, Inc. College of Charleston Univ. S. Florida Medical Univ. S. Carolina The Cousteau Society Mote Marine Laboratory IIDEXO Bermuda Biol. Station Acknowledgements