Increase in Cliona delitrix Infestation of Montastrea cavernosa Heads on an Organically Polluted Portion of the Grand Cayman Fringing Reef

Abstract. A marked increase in the biomass of Cliona delitrix infesting Montastrea cavernosa substrate occurred in a portion of the Grand Cayman fringing reef affected by the discharge of untreated fecal sewage. It is suggested that the six‐fold increase in bacteria biomass (both “coliforms” and natural marine bacterioplankton) in reef waters receiving the sewage effluent is linked to a five‐fold increase in sponge biomass at the polluted site …