Abstract:
Corals are called as most diverse and valuable ecosystems on the earth, disclose their
productivity and ecological benefits. Today coral community is degraded and diseases are
the distinguishing factor that affects coral health conditions. Absence of the proper health
level with any kind of abnormalities called as a disease. In the sense of the view, some are
infectious and others are not (genetically-based or toxicant-induced disorders). Lesions or
mutations and significant color changes occur due to disease of the coral reefs. Since
there is no scientific health assessment on reefs in Sri Lanka has been undertaken to this
date, a study was carried out in the final quarter of 2019, using visual observation method
by snorkeling and diving over transect lines of most significant & prime fringing coral
reefs; Passikudha, Kayenkerni, Adukkuparu, Parrot rock and Pigeon Island reefs of the
Eastern coast. 30 transect lines consisted of 50 m length were surveyed per site. The result
of the study showed that 07 coral diseases from the Eastern coast were identified under
Tissue Loss, Tissue Discoloration, Growth Anomalies and Compromised Health disease
categories. 104 of coral species were recorded under 13 families and 65 species out of
them were possessed any kind of diseases. All coral reefs were highly threatened due to
“compromised health problems and tissue discoloration (white; bleaching) diseases. Most
disease vulnerable coral families were, Acroporidae, Agariciidae, and Pocilloporidae.
Acropora valenciennesi, Coeloseris mayeri, and Pocillopora damicornis from each
family encounter the higher correlation with disease vulnerability. Adukkuparu and Parrot
rock reefs were respectively the most and least diseased sites. Considerable natural and
disagreeable anthropogenic effects may be the reason for these utmost outbreed health
problems. Augmentation of ecosystem management and conservation plans with more
researches on health issues may help to protect above coral communities.
Keywords: Coral diseases, Tissue loss, Tissue discoloration, Compromised health
problems, Natural and anthropogenic effects
