Field guide to western Atlantic coral diseases Western Atlantic coral diseases

"Western Atlantic Coral Disease Identification Field Guide uses standardized nomenclature and diagnostic criteria for coral diseases developed by the Coral Disease and Health Consortium (CDHC). This involves a three-tiered approach to naming diseases and a decision tree that would help unify disease names. Through application of a series of steps, a researcher can determine a common field name for a disease which can be further refined based on a morphologic diagnosis and an etiologic diagnosis. This is based on techniques applied to the study of other terrestrial and marine animal diseases that include 1) detection of disease, 2) description of the morphologic changes in the host associated with the disease, 3) evaluation of morphologic changes in the host as disease progresses (e.g., pathogenesis), determining the cause (e.g., etiology), and physiologic changes in the host as the disease progresses (e.g., pathophysiology). These underwater cards help a diver complete a level 1 diagnosis"--P. 2. 2009 CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System) Education and outreach Library Public Domain 1858