What management response is prioritized for hopelessly infected colonies during outbreaks of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD)?

Answer

Controlled culling to limit overall pathogen dispersal.

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) represents a highly devastating and rapid outbreak, particularly affecting large boulder-forming corals. Management strategies developed by governing bodies such as NOAA recognize that not all afflicted colonies can be saved, especially when tissue mortality is extreme. Therefore, a key component of the response plan focuses on containment to prevent the widespread distribution of the pathogen throughout the reef system. This containment often involves the controlled removal, or culling, of colonies that are deemed hopelessly infected. This measure aims to break the chain of transmission, thereby halting the exponential spread of the disease across the broader reef environment while managers continue monitoring and responding to new cases.

What management response is prioritized for hopelessly infected colonies during outbreaks of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD)?

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