*1.1. Disease in the Context of Coral Reef Health*

Coral disease has been a major contributor to the decline in corals in the Caribbean [23], as well as reefs in the Indo-Pacific [3,24–26]. By contrast, there have been few studies of coral disease in the CT (Table S1). In this study, diseases were defined as syndromes caused by pathogens. It is important to document lesions, or morphologic abnormalities, predation, physical breakages (storms, anchors), and aggressive interactions that may result in tears or breaks in the tissue, partial mortality, stress to the coral host, and abiotic diseases which we collectively refer to as compromised health. Abiotic diseases, such as coral bleaching, are not caused by microbial agents [27]. These are some of the many indicators of coral reef condition (loosely defined as coral health). Disease can be endemic and highly visible [23], or present in low frequency in any given population [26]. Tracking disease and other signs of compromised health through time can be paired with other datasets (such as herbivore biomass, hurricane incidence, environmental parameters, etc.) and key physiological parameters such as growth rates, fecundity, and community composition of reefs [28]. Many coral diseases have been linked to increasing ocean temperatures, nutrient pollution, sedimentation, and fishing [29–32]. At most sites in Timor-Leste, these types of measurements are absent, highlighting the importance of the present study as a crucial baseline on the conditions of important marine resources.
