Researchers have discovered the microscopic damage inflicted on stony corals by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD).
The disease has ravaged reefs across Florida and the Caribbean, and although much is known about it, little is understood about the damage it causes at the microscopic level.
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University used X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to generate detailed 3D reconstructions of damaged corals.
Commenting on the findings, Alejandra Coronel-Zegarra, first author and a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry within FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, stated:
“Micro-CT gives us a window into the coral skeleton in a way that’s never been possible before. By combining it with deep learning, we can automatically detect subtle changes in the skeleton caused by disease – details that are nearly impossible to see manually.”
While Vivian Merk, corresponding author and assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, added:
“Without high-resolution, 3D insights, scientists cannot fully understand how disease, warming oceans and other stressors compromise reef survival. Our analyses provide a clearer, quantitative picture of how environmental stressors reshape coral skeletons at the microscopic level. By uncovering these hidden changes in porosity, density and skeletal thickness, we can see exactly how diseases like Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease alter the physical integrity of corals.”
Merk added, describing the importance of the new findings and how they can be further used:
“Beyond its immediate relevance to coral health, our research demonstrates the transformative potential of combining micro-CT with deep learning, and opens new possibilities for analyzing other biological materials, engineered composites and even geological samples. This insight helps us identify reefs most at risk and develop more targeted protection and restoration strategies, strengthening the long-term resilience of Florida’s coral ecosystems.”
You can read the original research in The Journal of Structural Biology for more information.
