Dr. Amanda Shore

From Wastewater to Wildlife: Human-associated bacteria and coral epidemics

Coral reefs are among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth, yet they are increasingly threatened by human activities. While warming oceans and coral bleaching have become highly visible symbols of reef decline, other threats receive far less attention. Among these is wastewater pollution, which introduces nutrients, contaminants, and microorganisms from terrestrial environments into coastal waters.

This seminar explores what happens when human-associated and terrestrial microbes reach coral reef ecosystems. Drawing on research in coral microbial ecology, the talk will examine how microbes originating on land can survive in marine environments, interact with coral-associated microbial communities, and potentially contribute to coral disease. Particular attention will be given to the surprising connections between human pathogens and coral health, including the discovery that a human-associated bacterium can cause disease in corals. Recent experimental work investigating the persistence and effects of wastewater-associated bacteria on corals will illustrate how studying these cross-ecosystem microbial interactions can reveal an often-overlooked dimension of human impacts on coral reefs.

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