环境变化对造礁石珊瑚营养方式的影响及其适应性

造礁石珊瑚是珊瑚礁生态系统的框架生物,它们既能够通过共生藻的光合作用进行自养,也能够通过触手捕获和黏液吸附等方式进行异养。通过研究造礁石珊瑚光合自养以及异养营养的机理和过程,系统分析了光照、温度、营养盐、潮汐、水流、CO2质量浓度以及食物的可获得性等因素对造礁石珊瑚光合自养和异养营养产生的影响,并讨论了珊瑚的这2种营养方式对环境变化的适应性。在环境适宜的条件下,光合自养是健康造礁石珊瑚的主要营养方式;当珊瑚自养营养的供给受到限制时,异养营养能够在一定程度上弥补其营养缺失,甚至可能成为珊瑚的主要营养方式。造礁石珊瑚的2种营养方式能够对不同环境因素的变化做出不同响应,并通过两者之间的互补以适应环境变化。今后研究的重点应放在归纳各类因素对造礁石珊瑚2种营养方式的影响;深入研究造礁石珊瑚异养营养方式的规律与环境适应性;厘清造礁石珊瑚光合自养与异养营养之间的关系和协调模式。

Research Progress in the Effects of Environmental Changes on the Nutritional Patterns and Adaptability of the Scleractinian Corals

Scleractinian corals are the framework organisms of coral reef ecosystems,which can get nutrient support through a combination of autotrophic assimilation by zooxanthellae and heterotrophic assimilation by tentacle capture or mucus filtration,etc.Our paper first reviewed the processes and mechanism of autotrophy and heterotrophy in the scleractinian corals,then summarized the effects of light,temperature,nutrients,tide,currents,CO2 level and food availability on those processes,and thirdly discussed the adaptability of two nutrition modes to environmental changes.Photoautotrophic nutrition plays a major role in healthy scleractinian corals under suitable environmental conditions;while heterotrophic nutrition can make up for its lack of nutrition to some extent,or might even become the main source of nutrition,when the inputs of photoautotrophic nutrition is limited.Generally speaking,the two nutritional patterns can show different responses to the changes of different environmental factors,and a mutual complementation exists between the two nutrition modes,allowing adaptation to environmental changes.Future research in this topic should include,the integration and induction of various environmental factors affecting two nutrient modes of the scleractinian corals;the regularity of heterotrophic nutrition of scleractinian corals and it′s environmental adaptability;the relationship and coordination model of two nutritional patterns of the scleractinian corals.