Many outbreaks in Indo-Pacific in past decade. In Jamaica, coral cover dropped from 50-70 percent to under 5 percent after hurricane damage and after disease reduced Diadema populations. Diadema eat algae. Tropical storm damage . Hurricanes in Jamaica and typhoons in the pacific severely decrease coral cover and leave reef open to other problems.
Research shows that reefs gradually recover from such storms, but the recovery is slow.
Warmer ocean temperature . May be responsible for coral bleaching. Flooding and surface water runoff B. Human caused stresses. Human population increases. In Caribbean the islands have become overpopulated.