Final answer:
Reef B will likely suffer greater damage from black band disease than Reef A due to the additional environmental stress caused by human activities and pollution in its vicinity. Reef A, being in a more remote and less polluted area, may have better resistance to the disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the likely outcome of black band disease on two different coral reefs, Reef A and Reef B. Black band disease is a coral disease characterized by a dark band that moves across coral, leading to tissue death. Reef B is located near multiple sources of pollution and habitat alteration, such as a resort hotel, a fertilized golf course, and a recently cleared forest for housing development. These factors increase the stress on Reef B beyond the disease's presence, making it more likely to suffer greater damage due to the reduced resilience and increased vulnerability to disease. Reef A, however, being in a more remote and presumably less polluted area, is likely to be in a better condition to resist the disease.
Therefore, the most likely outcome is B. Reef B will suffer greater damage than reef A. This answer takes into consideration the environmental stress factors influencing the health of coral reefs, including water quality, human activity, and the additional pressure from the disease pathogen itself. Since black band disease does affect corals, including star corals, and not just branching corals, options A and D are not accurate. Considering that Reef A is in a less stressful environment, option C is unlikely as well. Hence, the presence of human-caused stressors places Reef B at a disadvantage compared to Reef A.