High infectivity and waterborne transmission of seagrass wasting disease
dc.contributor.author | Eisenlord, Morgan E. | |
dc.contributor.author | Agnew, M. Victoria | |
dc.contributor.author | Winningham, Miranda | |
dc.contributor.author | Lobo, Olivia J. | |
dc.contributor.author | Vompe, Alex D. | |
dc.contributor.author | Wippel, Bryanda | |
dc.contributor.author | Friedman, Carolyn S. | |
dc.contributor.author | Harvell, C. Drew | |
dc.contributor.author | Burge, Colleen | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2024-08-27T20:37:57Z | |
dc.date.available | 2024-08-27T20:37:57Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2024-08-07 | |
dc.description.abstract | Pathogen transmission pathways are fundamental to understanding the epidemiology of infectious diseases yet are challenging to estimate in nature, particularly in the ocean. Seagrass wasting disease (SWD), caused by Labyrinthula zosterae, impacts seagrass beds worldwide and is thought to be a contributing factor to declines; however, little is known about natural transmission of SWD. In this study, we used field and laboratory experiments to test SWD transmission pathways and temperature sensitivity. To test transmission modes in nature, we conducted three field experiments out-planting sentinel Zostera marina shoots within and adjacent to natural Z. marina beds (20 ± 5 and 110 ± 5 m from bed edge). Infection rates and severity did not differ among outplant locations, implicating waterborne transmission. The infectious dose of L. zosterae through waterborne exposure was assessed in a controlled laboratory experiment. The dose to 50% disease was 6 cells ml⁻¹ and did not differ with the temperatures tested (7.5°C and 15°C). Our results show L. zosterae is transmissible through water without direct contact with infected plants. Understanding the transmission dynamics of this disease in the context of changing ocean conditions will improve Z. marina protection and restoration in critical coastal habitats worldwide. | |
dc.description.sponsorship | This study was funded by Washington Sea Grant no. NA18OAR4170095 to C.S.F., C.D.H. and C.A.B. Support for M.E.E. was provided by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Support for M.V.A. was provided by a Washington Sea Grant fellowship and the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology. Undergraduate researchers M.W., O.J.L. and A.D.V. were supported by the Cornell Ocean Research Apprenticeship for Lynch Scholars Program (generously funded by Susan Lynch) to C.D.H. | |
dc.description.uri | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.240663 | |
dc.format.extent | 16 pages | |
dc.genre | journal articles | |
dc.identifier | doi:10.13016/m2ohlj-t3xr | |
dc.identifier.citation | Eisenlord, Morgan E., M. Victoria Agnew, Miranda Winningham, Olivia J. Lobo, Alex D. Vompe, Bryanda Wippel, Carolyn S. Friedman, C. Drew Harvell, and Colleen A. Burge. “High Infectivity and Waterborne Transmission of Seagrass Wasting Disease.” Royal Society Open Science 11, no. 8 (August 7, 2024): 240663. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.240663. | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.240663 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11603/35796 | |
dc.language.iso | en_US | |
dc.publisher | The Royal Society | |
dc.relation.isAvailableAt | The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) | |
dc.relation.ispartof | UMBC Faculty Collection | |
dc.relation.ispartof | UMBC Biological Sciences Department | |
dc.relation.ispartof | UMBC Department of Marine Biotechnology | |
dc.rights | Attribution 4.0 International | |
dc.rights.uri | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | |
dc.subject | marine disease | |
dc.subject | Labyrinthula zosterae | |
dc.subject | plant–pathogen interactions | |
dc.subject | Zostera marina | |
dc.subject | seagrass wasting disease | |
dc.subject | transmission | |
dc.title | High infectivity and waterborne transmission of seagrass wasting disease | |
dc.type | Text | |
dcterms.creator | https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0404-1355 | |
dcterms.creator | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9793-9801 |