Continued post-bleaching decline and changed benthic community of a Kenyan coral reef

During the global coral bleaching event of 1997/1998 Kenyan reefs experienced between 50% and 90% coral mortality, with coral cover at Malindi being reduced from 35–45% (pre-bleaching) to 10–20%. Even before this event there was concern that these reefs were being impacted by increased sediment loads from the nearby Sabaki River. Here we report that since 1998 coral cover has declined yet further with, in 2004, means of 5.1% being recorded at North Reef (within the non-fished Malindi Marine National Park) and 2.3% on Leopard Reef (within the fished Marine Reserve). Prior to bleaching 55 coral genera were recorded from the area, currently we find only 23. Meanwhile algal cover, especially the calcareous green alga Halimeda, has increased, and on Leopard Reef is twice that on North Reef. Taken with the evidence of previous studies, these data suggest a combined impact of coral bleaching with sedimentation and fishing.     

Survival under chronic stress from sediment load: spatial patterns of hard coral communities in the southern islands of Singapore

Six reef sites were chosen along the west coasts of Singapore's southern islands, to: (1) quantitatively assess and compare coral community composition and structure, and recruitment rates, (2) assess the relationship between the aforementioned patterns and the environmental conditions, and (3) provide insights on potential processes that incorporate history at these study sites. Chronic exposure to high sediment load was the most obvious form of anthropogenic stress. Recruitment rates on ceramic tiles were low (1.4+/-1.0-20+/-14.7 recruits m(-2)year(-1)) but decreased towards the main island of Singapore as did hard coral cover and coral density. Coral fauna consisted of genera generally found in deeper waters (e.g., fungiids, foliose Oxypora, Leptoseris, and Echinopora) or those well adapted to turbid waters (e.g., Porites, Pectinia, Leptastrea, Montipora). Light extinction coefficient (K) and % live coral cover (%LCC) showed a strong and inverse curvilinear relationship (%LCC=13.60 *K(-3.40)). Similarly, the rate of sediment deposition (DFSPM) (Recruitment rate, RR=1.51-0.17 *DFSPM) and water clarity (RR=3.56-2.92 *K) exhibited strong and inverse relationships with recruitment rates. Although measured levels of the down-ward flux of suspended particulate matter and suspended solids were well within "normal" levels recorded in the literature, it was the proportion of benthic space, generic coral composition, and site history that offered compelling evidence of chronic exposure to increased sediment load. Clearly a reduction in both water clarity and live-coral cover has taken place since monitoring efforts began in the early 1970s, in fact coral cover has more than halved at all sites examined since the 1980s and benthic space was predominantly occupied by dead corals covered with sediment and filamentous algae.     

基于QTM的海平面上升分析与模拟

针对海平面上升影响范围分析与模拟这一国际前沿问题,通过研究基于球面四元三角网(QTM)的关键技术问题,包括复杂拓扑关系计算、LOD剖分、球面水淹分析、基于QTM的多分辨率的DEM数据组织方法和分析精度的相关性评定等,以.Net和Direct3D为开发工具,设计开发了基于QTM的海平面上升影响范围评估模型。该研究结果可为全球海平面上升影响的防灾减灾决策提供有效支撑,并推动了球面数据模型和球面格网拓扑分析的理论成果在全球变化预测相关领域的应用进展。     

基于LiDAR的海岛岸线自动提取研究

为了探讨栅格化方法与图像分割法对海岛岸线提取的效果,本文主要研究了基于Li DAR数据利用这两种方法对某岛进行瞬时海岸线的提取。利用栅格化方法通过对Li DAR点云数据进行粗差剔除、滤波去噪、构建Terrain数据集、创建栅格表面、生成TIN模型及自动生成等高线,从而实现了瞬时海岸线的提取;利用图像分割法是通过对Li DAR点云数据进行粗差剔除、滤波处理、构建TIN模型、生成二值栅格图像、图像处理与图像边缘提取的过程实现瞬时海岸线的提取。对两种方法提取的海岸线进行叠加显示分析,试验结果表明:两种方法提取的海岸线形态结构基本吻合,海岸线提取效率较传统方法均有提高,但栅格化方法提取的海岸线比图像分割方法提取的海岸线更平滑、更细化,边缘信息较为丰富,与实际海岸线更贴切,效果更加理想。     

珊瑚礁中Mn2+的ESR信号及其古气候指示意义

１９８９年３－５月在海南岛三亚浅钻取心,用岩石地层学和地质年代学方法研究了海南岛周缘珊瑚礁的基本特征和成礁时代,在此岩心的基础上进一步研究珊瑚礁的ＥＳＲ谱学特征。结果表明,珊胡礁Ｍｎ＾２＋的ＥＳＲ信号和古气候变化直接相关,在１００％文石基础上归一的Ｍｎ＾２＋ＥＳＲ信号是一种新的灵敏的古气候指示物,其指示的古气候变化和前人发表的研究成果相一致,海南岛三亚珊瑚礁的Ｍｎ＾２＋ＥＳＲ信号表明,中国全新世大     

珊瑚礁工程地质研究进展

珊瑚礁是发育于热带海洋环境中由生物作用和地质作用共同形成的地质体,是一种特殊的岩土介质类型,有着独特的工程环境特性和工程地质性质。珊瑚礁工程地质研究是现代工程地质学的一个新课题,是近年来为适应珊瑚岛礁工程建设的需求而发展起来的。介绍了珊瑚礁工程地质研究的内容及意义,综述了国内外珊瑚礁工程地质研究的历史现状及其进展,指出应将珊瑚礁体作为工程岩体,进行工程地质环境区带划分及各区带工程地质条件评价;分析礁岩体结构特征和礁体稳定性及其影响因素;分析礁体工程适宜性、地基及其环境与工程活动相互关系。针对珊瑚礁岩土的土力学特点,加强珊瑚礁颗粒破碎机理及其对工程地质性质影响机制的研究;建立能够代表珊瑚礁应力—应变特性的本构关系。     

襄十宛增长三角空间结构特征研究

增长三角作为一种新型的区域经济合作模式,自从出现就获得了迅速发展,引起了广泛关注。襄樊、十堰和南阳3市地处中部地区,通过近些年的发展已经取得了一定的经济成就,但经济水平仍显不足。同时也面临着周边武汉经济圈、中原城市群、成渝都市圈和关中城市群竞争,有被边缘化的危险。因此,襄十宛三角地区做为中部重要区域要想在未来的区域竞争中取得主动权,必须要有所作为。正是这种目的,提出了构建襄十宛增长三角的构想。     

珊瑚颗粒形状对钙质粗粒土的压缩性能影响

珊瑚颗粒形状不规则是其显著区别于陆源土的一大特征。为揭示珊瑚颗粒形状对钙质粗粒土压缩性能的影响,人工挑选出不同形状(块状、枝状、棒状、片状)的珊瑚颗粒,以块状颗粒为基础,与其他3种不同形状的粗颗粒任意一种混合,控制不同颗粒形状配比制成钙质粗粒土试样,完成室内压缩试验,对比分析试验前后珊瑚颗粒的圆度、长宽比、扁平度和凹凸度等形状参数,评价颗粒形状对压缩性能的影响。结果表明:(1)粒径为10~20 mm钙质粗粒土的压缩模量是4~5. 5 MPa,回弹系数为42~53;(2)随枝状、棒状或片状颗粒掺量的增加(0、10%、20%、30%),试样压缩模量呈小幅波状变化,回弹系数呈持续减小趋势;(3)各加载区间应力-应变曲线包括应力快速增长阶段、应力-应变同步增长阶段、应变增长阶段共3个阶段和1个稳定点;(4)随枝状颗粒掺量的增加,试样的长宽比和凹凸度逐渐增加,圆度和扁平度基本无变化;因颗粒破碎的影响,试验后试样的长宽比及扁平度有所增加,圆度及凹凸度则有所减小。选择钙质粗粒土地基时,应考虑其压缩性能,避免施工初期的快速加载。     

Mapping the global value and distribution of coral reef tourism

Global coral reef related tourism is one of the most significant examples of nature-based tourism from a single ecosystem. Coral reefs attract foreign and domestic visitors and generate revenues, including foreign exchange earnings, in over 100 countries and territories. Understanding the full value of coral reefs to tourism, and the spatial distribution of these values, provides an important incentive for sustainable reef management. In the current work, global data from multiple sources, including social media and crowd-sourced datasets, were used to estimate and map two distinct components of reef value. The first component is local “reef-adjacent” value, an overarching term used to capture a range of indirect benefits from coral reefs, including provision of sandy beaches, sheltered water, food, and attractive views. The second component is “on-reef” value, directly associated with in-water activities such diving and snorkelling. Tourism values were estimated as a proportion of the total visits and spending by coastal tourists within 30 km of reefs (excluding urban areas). Reef-adjacent values were set as a fixed proportion of 10% of this expenditure. On-reef values were based on the relative abundance of dive-shops and underwater photos in different countries and territories. Maps of value assigned to specific coral reef locations show considerable spatial variability across distances of just a few kilometres. Some 30% of the world's reefs are of value in the tourism sector, with a total value estimated at nearly US$36 billion, or over 9% of all coastal tourism value in the world's coral reef countries.     

Diving associated coral breakage in Hong Kong: Differential susceptibility to damage

We conducted the first quantitative assessment of coral breakage along a gradient of diving activities in Hong Kong, the most densely populated city in southern China. A survey of six 1 × 25 m transects at seven sites revealed a total of 81 broken corals, among which 44% were branching, 44% plate-like and 12% massive. There were 3–19 broken colonies per site. At most study sites, the percentage of broken corals exceeded the recommended no-action threshold of 4%, suggesting that management intervention is justified. There was a significant positive correlation between the number of broken coral colonies and the number of divers visiting the site. The branching Acropora and the plate-like Montipora suffered from much higher frequency of damage than their relative abundance, raising the concern that the cumulative impact of such differential susceptibility to breakage may affect coral community composition.