"The effects of globally transported African and Asian dust on coral reefs and human health" was the focus of a conference hosted by USGS scientists in St. Petersburg, Florida, 14-15 August 2001. Over 50 participants from 14 institutions attended.

A White Paper from this conference will be available on this website in December.

Scientists from USGS (Biological Resources, Geology and Water Resources), NASA, Centers for Disease Control, Florida Marine Research Institute, eight universities (California State University ­ Sonoma, Florida International University, McMasters University, Nova University, Ponce School of Medicine, University of Miami ­ RSMAS, University of South Carolina ­ Aiken, University of South Florida, and University of the West Indies ­ Barbados) gathered to hear presentations detailing new findings and to discuss future directions for studies.

Dust particles appear to act as carriers for micro-organisms, with at least one known coral disease pathogen identified from dust event samples. Chemical contaminants such as pesticides, plasticizers, pharmaceuticals, and heavy metals, some of which are known endocrine disruptors, are thought to be transported as well.

For more information on this research, visit the Coral Mortality and African Dust project.

Future studies include isolation and identification of microorganisms associated with dust events, identification and quantificiation of chemical contaminants transported, identification of coral disease pathogens, quantification of micro- and macronutrient flux to the ocean, elucidation of the chemical pathways and roles of iron, human and marine eco-toxicology of the transported contaminants.

Involved in the USGS dust investigation are Eugene Shinn, Ginger Garrison, Garriet Smith, Dale Griffin, Christina Kellogg, Charles Holmes, Michael Majewski, William Foreman, Mario Fernandez, and Laurie Richardson.