Emerging of white syndrome in echinopora lamellosa at nature reserve Pulau Sempu, Indonesia

Coral reef at nature reserve Pulau Sempu has been provided food for marine biota and became livelihood for fishermen who are living at coast nearby. Coral reef at this island can be found in periphery of island and concentrated on Sempu strait (north part area). Folious coral Echinopora lamellosa are distributed well in Sempu bay with local name Kondang Buntung (Depan). The previous study showed the coral percentage of NR Pulau Sempu was stagnant on 26-34% of average of their life coral cover. Coral disease has role to decrease of coral cover in the world one of them is white syndrome that only be reported from Indo-Pacific area. The aim of this research was to observe white syndrome disease growth rate at E. lamellosa which has degraded their coral cover at NR Pulau Sempu for 2 months. To calculate white syndrome rate, we used sequence photographed that be taken twice (early and end of month) then calculated wide area using ImageJ. Growth rate of white syndrome was obtained from difference of width area. The result of this research showed the average of white syndrome disease was 0.077 cm²/ day. Environment factor suggested have important role to increase growth rate of white syndrome in this island, increasing sea surface temperature triggered virulence bacteria in coral fast proliferation and caused increase of white syndrome growth rate. White syndrome in E. lamellosa from NR Pulau Sempu still on normal categorized compared by other Indo-Pacific area.