Change in coral reef benthic communities in the Lembeh Strait and Likupang, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Anthropogenic impacts and natural disturbances have been intense recently in the global scale, affecting the composition of coral reef benthic communities from coral to algal dominated reefs. However, this condition does not always occur considering corals are able to recover when the stressors falter. This study aims to investigate the change in coral reef benthic communities and the relationship among benthic categories. The study was carried out in 2014 and 2016 at five sites, three sites in the Lembeh Strait and two sites in Likupang, North Sulawesi Province. Underwater Photo Transect(UPT) was used at depth of around 4–6 m in slope areas. The result indicated that the benthic communities were slightly changing: the percent covers of hard corals, sponges, soft corals, macroalgae and substrate categories were not significantly different between the years but category of others, particularly seasonally growing hydroid, increased significantly, occupying the available substrates and overtopping other benthos surrounding. The study also found that there was a significant relationship between the change in benthic gradient and the number of hard coral colonies: when the composition becomes less complex, the number of colony declines. In contrast, the hard coral diversity remained unchanged, suggesting the coral reefs apparently have an ecological resilience(sustainable species diversity) against the change although ecological complexity declines. In addition, the hard coral cover was significantly correlated with soft coral and sponge covers, which did not change significantly among the years. In general, the coral reefs in North Sulawesi might experience a temporary blip due to the increasing percent cover of others, and be predicted to recover as there was no indication of soft corals and sponges to increase significantly. However, it is necessary to investigate the dynamic of benthic communities in different depth gradients to gain a comprehensive understanding as the communities respond differently to the light intensity.     

涠洲岛西南部海域造礁石珊瑚的群落结构特征分析

采用2019年5月14?22日开展的断面法调查数据,分析了涠洲岛西南部海域的造礁石珊瑚群落结构特征。结果表明:涠洲岛西南部海域造礁石珊瑚共有9科38种,优势种为滨珊瑚(Porites sp.)、秘密角蜂巢珊瑚(Favites abdita)、斯氏角孔珊瑚(Goniopora stutchburyi)等团块状珊瑚。活造礁石珊瑚覆盖率为5.20%～31.20%,平均值为16.66%,远离海岸或靠近海岸但水较深的站位覆盖率较高。石珊瑚补充量较低、病害少、死亡率较低。造礁石珊瑚群落的物种多样性、优势度、均匀度互相呈显著正相关关系(p<0.05)。靠近岩壁的站位,水较深且船舶通行和游客潜水等影响较少,活造礁石珊瑚覆盖率和多样性程度均较高。受侵蚀海岸悬浮泥沙和潜水旅游影响较大的砂质岸段站位,活造礁石珊瑚覆盖率最低、优势种的优势度最高、多样性程度相对较低。人为活动、西南季风、风暴潮、海岸侵蚀悬沙、极端气候是影响涠洲岛西南部海域造礁石珊瑚礁生态系统的主要因素。     

Growth modelling indicates hurricanes and severe storms are linked to low coral recruitment in the Caribbean

This study set out to test the hypothesis that hurricanes and tropical storms limit the recruitment and subsequent survival of massive non-branching corals on the barrier reef off the coast of Belize in the Gulf of Honduras. Overall, the surface areas of 523 individual coral specimens were measured, and recruitment dates were then modelled. There was no significant difference in coral cover or coral biodiversity between any of the sites studied (p > 0.1). There were significant differences in non-branching coral recruitment in years when hurricanes impacted the area (p < 0.05) compared with years when no hurricanes impacted the area. There were significantly more non-branching massive corals recruited in non-hurricane years (mean 7.7) than in hurricane years (mean 3.8; p = 0.011). When years with tropical storms are added to the years with hurricanes, there was significantly lower coral recruitment (mean 4.7) relative to non-storm or hurricane years (mean 7.4; p = 0.019). These results show that hurricanes and severe storms limited the recruitment and survival of massive non-branching corals of the Mesoamerican barrier reef and on patch reefs near the Belize coast in the Caribbean, and suggests that marine park managers may need to assist coral recruitment in years where there are hurricanes or severe storms.     

海南铜鼓岭国家级自然保护区海域珊瑚的分布及其健康状况评价

沿铜鼓岭国家级自然保护区海岸南北两侧沿岸布设8个站位,采用断面监测法调查了珊瑚的种类多样性、覆盖率、死亡率和补充量等指标,并利用健康指数（CI）评估了铜鼓岭珊瑚礁生态系统的健康状况和遭受环境压力的程度.本次调查共发现铜鼓岭造礁石珊瑚11科23属40种,软珊瑚8种,造礁石珊瑚和软珊瑚覆盖率分别为13.8%和19.4%,该海域珊瑚礁生态系统保存较为完好和健康.铜鼓岭珊瑚的覆盖率呈现明显的空间分布特征,北侧珊瑚覆盖率为0.1%～9.8%之间,远低于南侧的水平（8.1%～66.1%）.从珊瑚补充量来看,铜鼓岭北侧珊瑚的恢复能力基本为零,而铜鼓岭以南的区域可以有0.4个/m^2珊瑚新个体.通过比较2006年以来珊瑚种类、覆盖率、死亡率、补充量、健康指数等方面的调查数据,认为铜鼓岭保护区的珊瑚礁生态系统得到有效保护,珊瑚礁生态系统处于健康状态.     

Monitoring of coral communities in the inner Gulf of Thailand influenced by the elevated seawater temperature and flooding

There were two severe coral bleaching events at Ko Khang Khao, the inner Gulf of Thailand, occurred during the prolonged period of the elevated sea surface temperature (SST) in 2010 and low salinity as well as turbidity due to heavy flooding in 2011. The bleaching index (BI) and mortality index (MI) are calculated to compare the susceptibilities of coral species in the two bleaching events. The BI and MI vary significantly among the study sites and bleaching events. The most susceptible corals during both bleaching events are Acropora millepora, Pocillopora damicornis and Pavona decussate, while the most resistant species were Galaxea fascicularis, Fungia fungites, Pavona frondifera, Oulastrea crispate, and Symphyllia recta. The corals Favia favus, Goniopora columna, Platygyra pini, Symphyllia agaricia were relatively more tolerant to high SST but they are relatively more susceptible to low salinity. Coral bleaching is a phenomenon that the dissociation stress of the symbiotic relationship between zooxanthellae and their cnidarian host results in the reduction in photosynthetic pigment concentration. Among stressors, both prolonged exposure of high SST and low salinity, above and below their thresholds, respectively. The long-term resilience of coral communities at Ko Khang Khao and other coral communities close to the mouth of large rivers may depend on the frequency and duration of the exposure on the elevated SST due to atmospheric heating and low salinity due to river flooding.     

亚龙湾西岸造礁石珊瑚种类多样性及恢复潜力分析

基于2018年12月在亚龙湾沿岸进行的13个站位的珊瑚礁调查,本文分析了该区域造礁石珊瑚的多样性、分布、覆盖率、死亡率和补充量。结果表明,亚龙湾西岸8个站位共发现造礁石珊瑚12科27属55种和11个未定种,其中蜂巢珊瑚科的种类最多,包括9属25种,其次为鹿角珊瑚科,包括3属17种。亚龙湾西岸各站位造礁石珊瑚种类数为12—33种,平均27种;覆盖率为2.8%—22.9%,平均12.9%;以丛生盔形珊瑚(Galaxea fascicularis)、同双星珊瑚(Diploastrea heliopora)和澄黄滨珊瑚(Poriteslutea)等团块状珊瑚为主要优势种;种类多样性和空间分布异质性都较高。与2010—2011年相比,亚龙湾西岸造礁石珊瑚平均覆盖率显著下降,优势种也有较大的变化,表明该海域的珊瑚礁已大幅衰退,这可能与偏高的悬浮物含量和沉积速率有关。不过,亚龙湾西岸造礁石珊瑚的补充量为1.6ind./m2,与周边海区相比,有相对较高的自然恢复潜力。     

Scleractinian coral population size structures and growth rates indicate coral resilience on the fringing reefs of North Jamaica

Coral reefs throughout the world are under severe challenges from many environmental factors. This paper quantifies the size structure of populations and the growth rates of corals from 2000 to 2008 to test whether the Discovery Bay coral colonies showed resilience in the face of multiple acute stressors of hurricanes and bleaching. There was a reduction in numbers of colonies in the smallest size class for all the species at all the sites in 2006, after the mass bleaching of 2005, with subsequent increases for all species at all sites in 2007 and 2008. Radial growth rates (mm yr⁻¹) of non-branching corals and linear extension rates (mm yr⁻¹) of branching corals calculated on an annual basis from 2000–2008 showed few significant differences either spatially or temporally. At Dairy Bull reef, live coral cover increased from 13 ± 5% in 2006 to 20 ± 9% in 2007 and 31 ± 7% in 2008, while live Acropora species increased from 2 ± 2% in 2006 to 10 ± 4% in 2007 and 22 ± 7% in 2008. These studies indicate good levels of coral resilience on the fringing reefs around Discovery Bay in Jamaica.     

The Structure of Coral Communities at Hurghada in the Northern Red Sea

Abstract. The community structure of hard and soft corals, with an emphasis on hard corals, was determined by means of line-transects on 9 on-and off-shore reefs of different type and different wave exposure in the Northern Red Sea near Hurghada in Egypt. Coral communities were found to differentiate along a horizontal wind- and wave-exposure gradient. Exposed communities were dominated by Acropora species, sheltered communities by Porites species, and semi-exposed communities by Millepora species. Also, vertical within-reef zonations following a depth gradient were observed; these were unique for each exposure-determined community type. Average transect diversity was highest on semi-exposed reefs, lowest on sheltered reefs. Reef slopes were more diverse than other reef zones. The observed community structure was compared with data from the literature, and widely distributed, roughly comparable hard and soft coral communities were identified.     

Ecological assessments of the coral reef communities in the Eastern Caribbean and the effects of herbivory in influencing coral juvenile density and algal cover

Caribbean reefs have been unevenly surveyed, with many areas lacking baseline data. In this study, the current status of Orbicella reefs, a structurally complex forereef habitat, was quantified in an understudied region, the Eastern Caribbean. During 2011 the same observers surveyed benthic assemblages, coral juvenile density, herbivorous fishes, and invertebrates at 30 Orbicella reefs in four Eastern Caribbean areas: Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines (hereafter St Vincent). Not all Orbicella forereefs were functionally the same in the Eastern Caribbean. Benthic communities and herbivorous fishes varied greatly among islands. Hard coral had the highest overall percent cover on most reefs in this study, with an average cover of 22%, and was greater than fleshy macroalgal cover at 83% of the sites. Overall, coral juvenile density was low but was positively associated with higher densities of Diadema antillarum, highlighting the importance of herbivory on the reefs. Nearshore coral reefs in Barbados were in a better state than other areas, exhibiting higher coral cover dominated by spawning corals, higher densities of coral juveniles exhibiting higher coral cover dominated by spawning corals, higher densities of coral juveniles and D. antillarum. Low biomass of herbivorous fishes at a majority of the coral reef sites is of major concern for the functioning of these reefs. Conservation of parrotfishes and other herbivores is necessary given the abundance of algae on most of these reefs and the beneficial effect of their presence on coral juveniles. This is the first comprehensive study that compares the state of Orbicella reefs in the Eastern Caribbean, providing valuable information that will be useful in creating realistic targets for future management and conservation.     

The northernmost coral frontier of the Maldives: The coral reefs of Ihavandippolu Atoll under long-term environmental change

Ihavandippolu, the northernmost atoll of the Maldives, experienced severe coral bleaching and mortality in 1998 followed by several bleaching episodes in the last decade. Coral cover in the 11 study sites surveyed in July–December of 2011 in the 3–5 m depth range varied from 1.7 to 51%. Reefs of the islands located in the center of Ihavandippolu lagoon have exhibited a very low coral recovery since 1998 and remain mostly degraded 12 years after the impact. At the same time, some reefs, especially in the inner part of the eastern ring of the atoll, demonstrate a high coral cover (>40%) with a dominance of branching Acropora that is known to be one of the coral genera that is most susceptible to thermal stress. The last severe bleaching event in 2010 resulted in high coral mortality in some sites of the atoll. Differences in coral mortality rates and proportion between “susceptible” and “resistant” taxa in study sites are apparently related to long-term adaptation and local hydrological features that can mitigate thermal impacts. Abundant herbivorous fish observed in the atoll prevent coral overgrowth by macroalgae even on degraded reefs. Despite the frequent influence of temperature anomalies and having less geomorphologic refuges for coral survivals than other larger Maldivian atolls, a major part of observed coral communities in Ihavandippolu Atoll exhibits high resilience and potential for further acclimatization to a changing environment.     

Climate change and coral reef bleaching: An ecological assessment of long-term impacts,recovery trends and future outlook

Since the early 1980s, episodes of coral reef bleaching and mortality, due primarily to climate-induced ocean warming, have occurred almost annually in one or more of the world's tropical or subtropical seas. Bleaching is episodic, with the most severe events typically accompanying coupled ocean–atmosphere phenomena, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which result in sustained regional elevations of ocean temperature. Using this extended dataset (25+ years), we review the short- and long-term ecological impacts of coral bleaching on reef ecosystems, and quantitatively synthesize recovery data worldwide. Bleaching episodes have resulted in catastrophic loss of coral cover in some locations, and have changed coral community structure in many others, with a potentially critical influence on the maintenance of biodiversity in the marine tropics. Bleaching has also set the stage for other declines in reef health, such as increases in coral diseases, the breakdown of reef framework by bioeroders, and the loss of critical habitat for associated reef fishes and other biota. Secondary ecological effects, such as the concentration of predators on remnant surviving coral populations, have also accelerated the pace of decline in some areas. Although bleaching severity and recovery have been variable across all spatial scales, some reefs have experienced relatively rapid recovery from severe bleaching impacts. There has been a significant overall recovery of coral cover in the Indian Ocean, where many reefs were devastated by a single large bleaching event in 1998. In contrast, coral cover on western Atlantic reefs has generally continued to decline in response to multiple smaller bleaching events and a diverse set of chronic secondary stressors. No clear trends are apparent in the eastern Pacific, the central-southern-western Pacific or the Arabian Gulf, where some reefs are recovering and others are not. The majority of survivors and new recruits on regenerating and recovering coral reefs have originated from broadcast spawning taxa with a potential for asexual growth, relatively long distance dispersal, successful settlement, rapid growth and a capacity for framework construction. Whether or not affected reefs can continue to function as before will depend on: (1) how much coral cover is lost, and which species are locally extirpated; (2) the ability of remnant and recovering coral communities to adapt or acclimatize to higher temperatures and other climatic factors such as reductions in aragonite saturation state; (3) the changing balance between reef accumulation and bioerosion; and (4) our ability to maintain ecosystem resilience by restoring healthy levels of herbivory, macroalgal cover, and coral recruitment. Bleaching disturbances are likely to become a chronic stress in many reef areas in the coming decades, and coral communities, if they cannot recover quickly enough, are likely to be reduced to their most hardy or adaptable constituents. Some degraded reefs may already be approaching this ecological asymptote, although to date there have not been any global extinctions of individual coral species as a result of bleaching events. Since human populations inhabiting tropical coastal areas derive great value from coral reefs, the degradation of these ecosystems as a result of coral bleaching and its associated impacts is of considerable societal, as well as biological concern. Coral reef conservation strategies now recognize climate change as a principal threat, and are engaged in efforts to allocate conservation activity according to geographic-, taxonomic-, and habitat-specific priorities to maximize coral reef survival. Efforts to forecast and monitor bleaching, involving both remote sensed observations and coupled ocean–atmosphere climate models, are also underway. In addition to these efforts, attempts to minimize and mitigate bleaching impacts on reefs are immediately required. If significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved within the next two to three decades, maximizing coral survivorship during this time may be critical to ensuring healthy reefs can recover in the long term.     

南沙群岛渚碧礁海域造礁石珊瑚群落特征

根据2007年5月的调查资料,对南沙群岛渚碧礁海域造礁石珊瑚的群落结构、种类组成、覆盖率和死亡率等进行了分析研究.鉴定出的造礁石珊瑚有74种,其中鹿角珊瑚科(Acroporidae)种类最多.渚碧礁海域造礁石珊瑚群落澙湖内外差别较大,澙湖内造礁石珊瑚覆盖率和健康状况明显优于澙湖外,但是两者的死亡率都较高.礁坪和澙湖的优势种不同且优势度较高(优势度>40%),其中细柱滨珊瑚(Porites cylindrica)在澙湖内占主导地位(优势度:47.20%),而澙湖外以疣状杯形珊瑚(Pocillopora verrucosa)为主导(优势度:54.88%).造礁石珊瑚大量死亡的原因可能是自然因素和人类活动共同造成的,必须加以关注.     

Evidence of a phase shift to Epizoanthus gabrieli Carlgreen, 1951 (Order Zoanthidea) and loss of coral cover on reefs in the Southwest Atlantic

There is at present a ‘coral reef crisis’; one of the more drastic consequences of this is a phase shift, in which reef‐building corals are replaced by non‐reef building benthos such as macroalgae and soft corals. Previous studies have principally focused on the shift to macroalgae. Our goal was to investigate whether the dominance of the zoanthid Epizoanthus gabrieli on some reefs of Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil, represented a non‐algal phase shift. In 2003, we identified a high cover of this species on two reefs (52% and 70%), but only in 2007 was it possible to confirm a reduction in coral cover. This dominance has persisted for over 9 years, characterizing a true phase shift. This loss of coral cover may be a result of anthropogenic disturbances within the bay; however, given the large number of human impacts, further studies are needed to identify specific causes of this shift. Although there are some reports of phase shift involving species pertaining to the Class Anthozoa, this is the first report of this phenomenon involving the order Zoanthidea.     

Coral bleaching and habitat effects on colonisation of reef fish assemblages: An experimental study

Degradation and mortality of corals is increasing worldwide and is expected to have significant effects on coral reef fish; hence studies on these effects are essential. In the present study, a field experiment was set up within Mafia Island Marine Park in Tanzania (East Africa) to examine the effects of bleaching and habitat structure on colonisation of coral reef fish assemblages. Live and bleached staghorn coral Acropora formosa was transplanted onto plots in a site dominated by sand and rubble, and the experimental design comprised of three treatments: live coral, bleached coral and eroded coral rubble. There was an immediate increase (within 24 h) in fish abundance and diversity in the two treatments with standing corals. Overall, live and bleached coral plots showed similar effects, but differed from the eroded coral plots which had a much lower abundance and diversity of fish. In general, fish species diversity changed with time over the study period while fish abundance did not. Multivariate analyses showed that while there were differences in fish assemblage structure between standing corals and the eroded coral treatment, there was neither a difference between live and bleached coral treatments nor any temporal effects on fish assemblage structure. Our findings suggest that physical structure and complexity of habitat have stronger effects on colonisation of reef fish assemblages than changes in coral health (such as bleaching) which do not affect coral structure. This may have important implications for appropriate coral reef management.     

Hurricanes and coral bleaching linked to changes in coral recruitment in Tobago

Knowledge of coral recruitment patterns helps us understand how reefs react following major disturbances and provides us with an early warning system for predicting future reef health problems. We have reconstructed and interpreted historical and modern-day recruitment patterns, using a combination of growth modelling and in situ recruitment experiments, in order to understand how hurricanes, storms and bleaching events have influenced coral recruitment on the Caribbean coastline of Tobago. Whilst Tobago does not lie within the main hurricane belt results indicate that regional hurricane events negatively impact coral recruitment patterns in the Southern Caribbean. In years following hurricanes, tropical storms and bleaching events, coral recruitment was reduced when compared to normal years (p = 0.016). Following Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and the 2005–2006 bleaching event, coral recruitment was markedly limited with only 2% (n = 6) of colonies estimated to have recruited during 2006 and 2007. Our experimental results indicate that despite multiple large-scale disturbances corals are still recruiting on Tobago’s marginal reef systems, albeit in low numbers.     

Coral Recruitment and Regeneration on a Maldivian Reef 21 Months after the Coral Bleaching Event of 1998

Abstract. This paper describes the quantitative inventory of stony corals on a Maldivian reef after the bleaching event of 1998. The detailed data, collected in March 1999 and March 2000, comprise survival, new recruitment and regenerates. They were obtained in 6 transects laid out randomly on the reef flat, on 22 Acropora tables on 6 sites at the reef edge and on 39 Porites lobata blocks and 1 Diploastrea heliopora colony. The present cover of living zooxanthellate corals is reduced to ca. 2 – 5 % of its previous state. Acroporidae and Pocilloporidae were practically wiped out, while Poritidae survived partly and Agariciidae (esp. Pavona) are now the dominant group. New settlements on dead Acropora tables were mainly Agariciidae, followed by Acroporidae and Pocilloporidae. Regenerates on Porites were pronounced and the apparent yearly increase in mass was about threefold that of Diploastrea, which is 3 – 4 mm per year. The influence on reef ecology in terms of coral substrate and species, possible sources of larvae, change of guilds in reef builders, other species and the prospect for further development of the reef, with respect to growth versus erosion, is discussed.     

Coral communities and reefs from Guerrero,Southern Mexican Pacific

Corals in the Eastern Pacific extend south from the Gulf of California to Ecuador and oceanic Chile, and west from Colombia to Clipperton Atoll. Nevertheless, large stretches of the Mexican Pacific remain fundamentally unstudied. Therefore, to assess the current conditions of coral communities, a coastal fringe ～300 km long (17°40′ N, 101°39′ W to 16°46′ N, 99°49′ W) was surveyed within the Southern Mexican Pacific, between 2005 and 2009. Fifteen stony coral species were identified at 13 coral communities and six Pocillopora‐dominated fringing reefs, with Pocillopora verrucosa and Pocillopora damicornis the primary contributing taxa. Reef development was identified in embayments or behind rocks or islands that offered shelter from northern and northwestern winds. Observations of Pocillopora effusus, Pocillopora inflata, Porites lobata, Pavona clavus, and Pavona varians expanded the species known geographic ranges by several degrees of latitude, suggesting reef building fauna comprised a mixture of widespread and relatively rare Eastern Pacific corals. Results indicated greater live coral cover in the Ixtapa‐Zihuatanejo area (15–73%) than in the Acapulco localities, which had high algal dominance; the reefs in the latter region exhibited high erosion. Regional differences are likely the result of long‐standing anthropogenic pressures around Acapulco since 1950, when it became an important tourist destination. This paper is the first detailed report of ecologically stressed corals and coral reefs from the state of Guerrero on the Mexican Southern Pacific coast.     

Coral Cover Change Associated to El Niño, Eastern Pacific, Costa Rica, 1992–2001

Abstract. Changes in live and dead coral cover were documented at three localities off the Costa Rican central Pacific coast first in 1992 during the aftermath of the 1991–1992 El Niño; again in the period between 1994 and 1995, and last in January 2001. Recovery of coral communities after the 1991–1992 El Niño was expressed by a significant increase (～40 %) in 1994 of live coral cover at one locality (Manuel Antonio). A subsequent decrease (～50 %) in response to the very strong 1997–1998 episode was recorded at Manuel Antonio and Ballena, mainly due to partial tissue mortality of branching (Pocillopora spp.) and massive (Porites lobata) corals. Mortality of entire colonies associated to that event was scarce and confined to branching and nodular (Psammocora stellata) corals. This species was not found at one locality (Cambutal) in the 2001 survey and it is presumed locally extinct. The recovery of this coral and others will depend on recruits from surviving colonies in deeper waters and other coral communities in the vicinity. Within sites at a given locality, contrasting results in live coral cover variability were found. This is partially due to distinct coral assemblages, coral growth, physical exposure to tidal regime, and, related to the latter, variable duration and intensity of the warming event. In general, predominant meteorological conditions at the studied area are conducive to solar radiation (UV) stress during El Niño years and are related to changes in the atmosphere‐ocean interactions in response to the warming events.     

大亚湾及大鹏半岛沿岸造礁石珊瑚现状与生态脆弱性评价

本研究于2020年7月在大亚湾及大鹏半岛沿岸开展造礁石珊瑚的分布、覆盖率、死亡率、硬珊瑚补充量和物种多样性调查。结果表明：24个站位共发现造礁石珊瑚9科17属44种以及5个未定种,其中裸肋珊瑚科的种类最多,有7属27种,其次为鹿角珊瑚科和滨珊瑚科,均有2属6种;中央列岛沿岸造礁石珊瑚平均覆盖率为12.0%,三门岛沿岸平均覆盖率为12.9%,大鹏半岛沿岸平均覆盖率为5.2%;以坚实滨珊瑚（Porites solida）、翼形蔷薇珊瑚（Montipora peltiformis）、五边角蜂巢珊瑚（Favites pentagona）和多孔同星珊瑚（Plesiastrea versipora）等为优势种;造礁石珊瑚物种多样性较高。与历史数据相比,大亚湾及大鹏半岛沿岸造礁石珊瑚退化严重,活珊瑚覆盖率锐减,优势种由分支状珊瑚逐步转变为皮壳状或亚团块状珊瑚。此外,本研究构建了近岸造礁石珊瑚生态脆弱性评价体系,并对目前大亚湾及大鹏半岛沿岸造礁石珊瑚进行了生态脆弱性评价。结果显示,中央列岛、三门岛和大鹏半岛东侧海域造礁石珊瑚处于低或中脆弱状态;较场尾、杨梅坑、西冲和大鹏半岛西侧海域造礁石珊瑚处于高或很高脆弱状态,在环境压力影响下其受损可能性较高。在海水养殖、渔业捕捞、滨海旅游和船舶航行等日益频繁的人类活动下,大亚湾及大鹏半岛沿岸造礁石珊瑚整体处于中高脆弱状态,建议加强珊瑚礁监测,并采取相应的保护措施。     

海南西岛珊瑚群落变化及其影响因素 *

在2018年的海南三亚西岛珊瑚群落分布和水质环境因子调查中, 共记录到造礁石珊瑚68种, 多孔螅2种。基于珊瑚礁底质类型的非度量多维标度分析, 可将西岛站位划分为区域1(东-南侧)和区域2(西侧)。全岛活珊瑚覆盖率为13.6%, 区域1和区域2分别为4.2%和27.7%, 区域2珊瑚多样性高于区域1。区域1珊瑚礁处在显著退化状态, 而区域2相对健康, 但是优势种类单一。与历史资料对比分析, 东侧站位造礁石珊瑚覆盖率从2011年的近40%降至2018年不足4%, 退化显著, 而西侧站位珊瑚礁无明显退化; 丛生盔形珊瑚(Galaxea fascicularis)逐渐取代分枝状的鹿角珊瑚成为绝对优势种类; 珊瑚礁区浊度、溶解无机氮(dissolved inorganic nitrogen, DIN)和喇叭藻的δ¹⁵N均值分别为2.54NTU、9.63μmol·L^-1和5.09‰, 均处在较高水平。相关性分析表明, 环境因子的空间变化并不能解释珊瑚群落的空间分布。因此, 推测人类活动引起的极端扰动事件可能是导致西岛珊瑚群落空间分布和东侧站位珊瑚近几年显著退化的主要原因, 如三亚河清淤在三亚湾随意倾倒引起的浑浊事件。应加强对三亚湾清淤和西岛人类活动的管控, 减轻颗粒物沉积和营养盐富集的影响, 促进西岛珊瑚礁逐渐恢复。