Probing microstructure and orientation in stony coral tissue loss disease lesions

Project Description

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a devastating coral disease that first emerged off the southeast coast of Florida in 2014, which is spreading in coral communities in the Caribbean. The proposed research will explore the multiscale chemical and structural changes of corals affected by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. At BioPACIFIC, we will quantitatively study the mineral orientation, hierarchical structure and pore size distribution in healthy and diseased stony corals using small and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). Our preliminary data indicate that SCTLD induces structural disorder in calcium carbonate crystallites. Based on the gained knowledge, we can draw parallels to other pathological demineralization processes, such as tooth decay. Fundamental insights on coral demineralization and disintegration will help us mitigate the loss of coral reefs ecosystems.

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