Phylogeographic patterns in Maguimithrax spinosissimus (Decapoda: Mithracidae) from Colombian Caribbean

The Caribbean king crab Maguimithrax spinosissimus is an important artisanal fisheries resource with a distribution range that includes the Florida Keys and Caribbean Sea islands. We carried out a phylogeographic analysis of M. spinosissimus in one oceanic (Old Providence) and two continental islands (Rosario and Tintipán). We analysed 89 and 49 Control Region (CR) and Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) sequences, respectively. We found genetic differentiation between Old Providence and Rosario?+?Tintipán units (F_ST values of 0.84 for CR and 0.91 for COI gene), and gene flow between Rosario and Tintipán (F_ST values ?0.0085 for CR, P?>?.88; ?0.01 for COI gene, P?>?.99). Our analysis showed two genetic stocks and possibly an isolated biogeographic unit of M. spinosissimus. We suggest managing the species as different populations, and conducting more ecological and biological studies for the determination of possible cryptic species.     

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.     

珊瑚骨架灰岩三轴压缩声发射特性研究

通过对珊瑚骨架灰岩在不同围压条件下的声发射监测试验,获取珊瑚骨架灰岩三轴压缩力学特性及其声发射（AE）基本特征。研究表明,珊瑚骨架灰岩强度特性符合Mohr-Coulomb强度准则。珊瑚骨架灰岩在三轴压缩作用下的宏观破坏特征表现出较明显的围压效应,即单轴压缩表现为劈裂式张拉断裂面;随着围压的增大,由两级台阶式宏观断口逐渐过渡呈现为单斜面剪切带。珊瑚骨架灰岩在三轴压缩作用下的AE时序演化规律与其应力-应变曲线特征基本吻合,等效破坏时间所对应的累计振铃计数、累计能量计数与围压之间呈良好的对数函数关系。峰前累计振铃计数、累计能量计数在长期强度?cd之前表现出稳定的平缓现象,符合岩石的线弹性变形特征,并在约90%处呈现剧增现象,即为岩石内部微裂纹快速不稳定扩展的开始。珊瑚骨架灰岩在单轴压缩作用下的峰前能量演化规律与其应力?应变曲线特征基本吻合,峰前弹性能、峰前耗散能同样在约90%处出现转折现象。     

岛礁吹填珊瑚砂力学行为与颗粒破碎特性试验研究

珊瑚砂是岛礁陆域吹填唯一的材料,因其特殊的海洋生物成因和孔隙结构特征,珊瑚砂颗粒在常规工程应力水平下就会发生破碎。通过对取自南海某吹填岛礁的珊瑚砂开展室内三轴固结排水剪切试验,研究珊瑚砂强度、变形参数和颗粒破碎程度随相对密实度、围压的演变规律,并与其他研究成果中的南海珊瑚砂强度参数进行对比分析。研究结果表明：珊瑚砂应变软化及剪胀特征随有效围压的增大、密实度的减小而逐渐减弱;在常规应力范围内,得到珊瑚砂峰值摩擦角和临界状态摩擦角的取值范围分别为33o～58o和28o～47o,且均随有效围压的增大而减小;建立了珊瑚砂割线模量E50与相对密实度、有效围压间的关系式;珊瑚砂峰值摩擦角与修正相对破碎指数Br*间的关系可用指数为负数的幂函数关系式拟合,且当颗粒破碎程度较高时,峰值摩擦角随修正相对破碎指数的增大而减小的趋势变缓;珊瑚砂修正相对破碎指数随塑性功的增大近似以双曲线的形式增长,密实度对两者间的关系影响不大。该研究成果可为南海岛礁基础设施的安全设计提供参考。     

基于干密度指标的珊瑚砂吹填地基机场跑道沉降计算

珊瑚砂吹填地基中,只有其中细颗粒的珊瑚砂可进行常规室内压缩试验,将细颗粒珊瑚砂压缩试验成果应用到工程实践中不尽合理。通过室内大尺寸样品的压缩试验,获得珊瑚砂、珊瑚枝及珊瑚砂与珊瑚枝混合料的压力-干密度关系曲线和干密度-竖向应变关系曲线。利用关系曲线,结合现场试验得到的干密度,采用分层总和法计算珊瑚砂吹填地基需要虚铺的厚度和机场跑道总沉降量,为珊瑚砂吹填地基的沉降变形提供了一种新的计算方法。     

海洋酸化、暖化对两种鹿角珊瑚幼虫附着及幼体存活的影响

大气CO₂浓度持续升高导致海洋酸化和暖化影响着造礁石珊瑚和珊瑚礁生态系统。为探明造礁石珊瑚早期生活史对海洋酸化和暖化的生理学响应,本文研究了温度（约28°C, 约30°C）和pCO₂（约570 μatm, 约1 300 μatm）以及两者协同作用对简单鹿角珊瑚（Acropora austera）和中间鹿角珊瑚（A. intermedia）早期生活史的影响。实验结果表明,升温（+约2.5°C）和酸化（约1 300 μatm）对两种鹿角珊瑚幼虫的附着率和死亡率均无显著影响。酸化显著降低了简单鹿角珊瑚幼体存活率（25.87%）,但并不显著影响中间鹿角珊瑚幼体的存活率;升温对两种鹿角珊瑚幼体存活率无显著影响。升温（+约2.5°C）、酸化（约1 300 μatm）对简单、中间鹿角珊瑚幼虫的存活和附着过程的影响较小,但是酸化对简单鹿角珊瑚幼体存活的影响高于暖化。本文结果表明,珊瑚补充过程对海洋酸化和暖化的响应可能具有种类特异性,气候变化将逐渐改变造礁石珊瑚的群落结构。     

珊瑚礁监测技术发展现状及原位在线监测建设

随着沿海地区社会和经济活动不断增加,在人类活动和全球气候变化的双重压力下,全球珊瑚礁生态健康状况日益衰退。如何有效地监测珊瑚礁生态系统,使管理部门能够及时采取保护措施防止珊瑚礁生态系统的退化,已成为拥有珊瑚礁资源的国家亟需解决的环境问题。各主要国家均在大力发展珊瑚礁监测技术与装备。文中综述了国内外在珊瑚礁生态系统监测技术方面的研究现状,基于前人提出的原位在线监测技术,在南海某岛礁海域建设了珊瑚礁生态环境原位在线监测系统,并进行了1年多的业务化运行。在业务化运行期间,原位在线监测系统成功监测到了珊瑚礁的"白化-死亡-微藻附着-珊瑚骨骼腐烂-大型藻占领"这一退化过程,表明该监测系统能够实现珊瑚礁的长期、实时、连续监测。本文研究对于进一步认识珊瑚礁生态系统的时间变化特征及其影响机制均具有重要意义。     

全球变化下中国南海诸岛珊瑚礁热压力临时避难所研究

选取第五次耦合模式比较计划（CMIP5）模式中较适宜于南海海表面温度（SST）模拟的加拿大地球系统模式(CanESM2),并获取其在IPCC RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5温室气体排放情景下模拟的2006-2100年南海SST数据。基于南海诸岛珊瑚礁和线性回归方法分析了RCPs情景下的珊瑚礁区夏季SST上升趋势,并基于热周指数(DHW, Degree Heating Weeks)及年白化时间指数分析了RCPs情景下的南海诸岛珊瑚礁热压力临时避难所,主要得出以下结论：① RCPs情景下,明显变暖的珊瑚礁海域均为南沙群岛;② 年白化时间不晚于全球珊瑚礁平均年白化时间的珊瑚礁像元占南海诸岛总珊瑚礁像元的比例,在RCP2.6、RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下分别为17%、29%和42%,均分布在南沙群岛;③ RCPs情景下,较高纬度的西沙群岛、中沙群岛和南沙群岛北部为未来南海诸岛珊瑚礁热压力临时避难所。     

南海珊瑚礁人工岛淡水透镜体形成过程及影响因素

中国目前在珊瑚礁上建设人工岛的目标是建成生态宜居岛屿,人工岛地下海水在降雨入渗驱替作用下逐渐淡化,形成的淡水透镜体是支撑岛屿生态系统的重要水源。本文针对南海珊瑚礁普遍存在的上土下岩的二元地质结构,考虑不同测量方法得到的南海人工岛填筑所用珊瑚砂渗透系数存在较大差异,建立了珊瑚礁人工岛淡水驱替海水形成淡水透镜体的动态模拟模型,对南海某珊瑚礁人工岛开展了系列数值模拟研究。结果表明,人工岛礁二元地质结构不同的渗透性对人工岛淡水开始形成时间无明显影响,填岛完成2年左右的时间可观测到淡水,估计（或理论计算）在10~20年内可形成相对稳定的淡水透镜体;在人工岛面积达到一定规模的前提下,全新世珊瑚砂沉积物渗透性是控制人工岛礁淡水透镜体的主要因素,能够形成的淡水透镜体体积随渗透系数增大而呈对数减小,并且淡水透镜体体积随全新世沉积物渗透性增大而减小的速率较淡水透镜体厚度更加显著;淡水透镜体越过不整合面进入更新世礁灰岩后,由于含水层渗透系数突然增大,淡水透镜体向水平方向扩展,在礁灰岩顶界形成“髭”状淡水体。     

Changes of coral communities over 35 years: Integrating in situ and remote-sensing data on Saint-Leu Reef (la Réunion, Indian Ocean)

Monitoring coral reef communities at a decadal scale is necessary to understand and project their dynamics to provide a basis for reef management in light of disturbances and climate change. Complementing infrequent and localised in situ observations, time-series of aerial photographs and remotely sensed satellite images provide a means of monitoring the position and extent of reef-top coral communities, vegetation and abiotic substrata at the whole reef scale. The aim of the present study was to map such changes on Saint-Leu Reef (La Réunion) between 1973 and 2007. The period included two cyclones (1989, 2002) and one severe bleaching event (2002). Vertical images of the reef were recorded in five aerial photographs (1973, 1978, 1989, 1997, and 2003) and two Quickbird satellite images (2002, 2006) during that time. Quantitative in situ observations of parts of the reef-top were also available both to document ecological and substratum characteristics that produce the color and texture observable in the photos and satellite images. Coral communities were mapped on all images using manual delineation of polygons identified according to color and texture contrast. The 2006 Quickbird image was used as the mapping base and 15 types of coral communities were identified from a reef survey conducted in 2007. This hierarchical typology used coral growth forms, live and dead coral cover, macro-algae, substratum (sand, rubble and platform) and, to a lesser extent, coral taxonomy. The polygons at date t were over-laid onto image t − 1 across the whole series and their boundaries were manually edited to match the pattern on the earlier image. Labelling of polygons was guided by field-survey data and maps. For coral-dominated patches, six successive pairs of maps from 1973 to 2006 were compared to produce ‘coral community change maps’ for that period. Despite the multiple disturbance events, the coral community distribution and composition in 2006 on Saint-Leu Reef did not display major differences compared to 1973. This suggests a high degree of coral resilience at the site, led by rapid recovery of compact branching corals. The mapping techniques overcame challenges due to different image quality and the sparsity of in situ observations in time and space. Our results demonstrate the potential for further application of reef monitoring protocols based on complementary in situ and remote-sensing data to help understand the dynamics of reef-top coral reef communities and geomorphology over years to decades.