Cladocora caespitosa bioconstructions in the Columbretes Islands Marine Reserve (Spain,NW Mediterranean): distribution,size structure and growth

Today, living banks of the coral Cladocora caespitosa appear to be restricted to a few Mediterranean locations and are threatened by the escalating impacts affecting coastal areas. In this study the exceptional occurrence of the Mediterranean coral C. caespitosa in the Columbretes Islands Marine Reserve (NW Mediterranean, Spain) is characterised in terms of spatial distribution, cover area, colony size and growth rates. The coral colonies form beds and banks in rocky bottoms within a semi‐enclosed bay that offers both hydrodynamic protection and high water exchange. The spatial distribution of the C. caespitosa colonies, from 5 to 27 m depth, is highly aggregated, depending on sea‐floor morphology and showing up to 80% of substrate coverage. The annual corallite growth rates obtained through the alizarin red staining method and x‐ray image analysis are similar, and range between 2.55 ± 0.79 mm and 2.54 ± 0.81 mm, respectively. The exceptional nature of these bioconstructions is due to their cumulative cover area, which is comparable in size to the largest C. caespitosa bioconstructions described to date in Mljet National Park (Croatia, Adriatic Sea).     

珊瑚礁生物地貌过程的生物建造与生物侵蚀

珊瑚礁生物建造和生物侵蚀是珊瑚礁生物地貌过程的两个关键环节,两者之间的平衡关系决定着珊瑚礁生物地貌过程的动态变化,控制着珊瑚礁地貌结构和形态。珊瑚礁生物建造和生物侵蚀受海水富营养化、海水温度异常、海平面变化和风暴等多种自然环境因素的影响,同时还面临日益加剧的人类开发活动的威胁。现代全球变化和人类活动影响下的珊瑚礁生物建造和生物侵蚀研究对认识珊瑚礁生物地貌过程与全球变化和人类活动影响的相互作用和响应机制有重要意义。对当前国际上珊瑚礁生物地貌过程的生物建造和生物侵蚀研究的现状进行了概述,并对国内的相关研究提出了建议。