B. TOXICOLOGY & ECOLOGICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY Identifying the Current State of Knowledge and Knowledge-gaps for Toxicological and Infectious Impacts on Coral using Ecological Epidemiology

The deterioration of many coral reef ecosystems worldwide is a clear example of not only the effects global environmental damage can have on our oceans’ health, but also damage from local sources of pollution. This damage is multi-factorial as are its consequences. Since the 1970’s, mounting evidence has built a convincing argument that human activities are a prominent cause (e.g., coastal urban and industrial development, agricultural runoff, sedimentation, over-harvesting, marine pollution, disease and climate change) (Bellwood et al. 2004; Bryant et al. 1998; Risk 1999; Turgeon et al. 2002; Walker and Ormond 1982). Anthropogenic factors (i.e., physical, chemical and biological) can be exacerbated by natural factors (e.g., climate: water temperature, UV, weather pattern changes, volcanic/tectonic activity; biological: nutrient cycling, bioerosion, infectious disease) resulting in adverse health effects collectively recognized as disease (Wobeser 1981).