An integrative approach to identify and experimentally validate environmental variables which affect SCTLD outcomes

This project used statistical modelling of field observations to identify specific environmental conditions that influenced disease susceptibility and disease severity in Montastraea cavernosa. The relationship between the identified environmental predictors and disease susceptibility was then assessed in a controlled, lab setting to understand whether they influenced M. cavernosa immunity and general pathogen susceptibility. Disease probability was predictively modelled under current environmental conditions to identify locations suspected to be more or less disease susceptible.

本研究通过对野外实地观测数据开展统计建模，识别出影响杯状珊瑚（Montastraea cavernosa）疾病易感性与疾病严重程度的特异性环境条件。随后，在受控实验室环境中对上述已识别的环境预测因子与疾病易感性之间的关联展开评估，以探明这些因子是否会影响该珊瑚的免疫机能与广谱病原体易感性。最后，本研究基于当前环境条件对疾病发生概率进行预测建模，进而甄别出被认为疾病易感性更高或更低的海域。