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Updated: May 10, 2026

An Integrated Micro-Device System for Coral Growth and Monitoring
Published on: July 21, 2023
Link between sewage-derived nitrogen pollution and coral disease severity in Guam
Jamey E Redding1, Roxanna L Myers-Miller, David M Baker
1Department of Environmental Science, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA.
Abstract:
The goals of this study were to evaluate the contribution of sewage-derived N to reef flat communities in Guam and to assess the impact of N inputs on coral disease. We used stable isotope analysis of macroalgae and a soft coral, sampled bimonthly, as a proxy for N dynamics, and surveyed Porites spp., a dominant coral taxon on Guam's reefs, for white syndrome disease severity. Results showed a strong influence of sewage-derived N in nearshore waters, with δ(15)N values varying as a function of species sampled, site, and sampling date. Increases in sewage-derived N correlated significantly with increases in the severity of disease among Porites spp., with δ(15)N values accounting for more than 48% of the variation in changes in disease severity. The anticipated military realignment and related population increase in Guam are expected to lead to increased white syndrome infections and other coral diseases.
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