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Nutrient imbalance may drive coral disease more than heat stress, new study suggests
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2026/05/nutrient-imbalance-may-drive-coral-disease-more-than-heat-stress.pagePublished:5 May 2026
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New research conducted at Southampton’s Coral Reef Laboratory, and with colleagues at the University of Derby, shows disruption of the delicate nutrient balance of the sea can destabilise microbial communities that live in harmony with corals, triggering disease.
Devastating outbreaks include the common and highly destructive Black Band Disease (BBD) which moves across the coral surface, killing coral tissue, and leaving behind just bare skeleton.
Although not the only cause of BBD, the team found 88 percent of recorded incidents of the disease occurred in regions with highly imbalanced seawater nutrient ratios.
Findings of the new study are due for publication in the journal Nature Communications .
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Gracie, R., Wiedenmann, J., Lam, P. et al. Breakdown of microbial networks links nutrient stress and reef coral disease. Nat Commun 17, 3821 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72175-4…
New research conducted at Southampton’s Coral Reef Laboratory, and with colleagues at the University of Derby, shows disruption of the delicate nutrient balance of the sea can destabilise microbial communities that live in harmony with corals, triggering disease.
Devastating outbreaks include the common and highly destructive Black Band Disease (BBD) which moves across the coral surface, killing coral tissue, and leaving behind just bare skeleton.
Although not the only cause of BBD, the team found 88 percent of recorded incidents of the disease occurred in regions with highly imbalanced seawater nutrient ratios.
Findings of the new study are due for publication in the journal Nature Communications .
…