三亚珊瑚礁保护区珊瑚礁生态系统现状及其健康状况评价

为评估三亚珊瑚礁国家级自然保护区珊瑚礁生态系统的健康状况, 本文选取东岛、鹿回头、大东海3个站位调查了珊瑚礁群落、珊瑚礁鱼类和大型底栖动物。通过对比分析历史资料、珊瑚礁现场生态调查与监测及组织专家评审, 筛选出一、二级指标并设置权重, 使用综合指数计算了三亚珊瑚礁保护区珊瑚礁生态系统健康指数。结果显示, 三亚珊瑚礁保护区内共有造礁珊瑚10科21属37种, 软珊瑚3种, 造礁珊瑚覆盖率和软珊瑚覆盖率分别为14.31%和0.19%, 其中鹿回头造礁珊瑚覆盖率最高, 为21.58%。珊瑚礁鱼类共14科28属36种, 其中, 雀鲷科的种类数最多, 为11种。鹿回头4 m断面珊瑚礁鱼类密度最大, 为154尾/300 m²。砗磲和龙虾极少发现, 珊瑚天敌核果螺多见。东岛、鹿回头、大东海珊瑚礁生态系统健康状况均处于“一般”。本文所采用的方法是结合常规珊瑚礁监测可获得的指标进行评价, 简便易操作, 通过在三亚珊瑚礁保护区的实践, 能够很好地反映珊瑚礁生态系统现状及其健康状况, 科研和业务化监测部门均可应用。     

西沙群岛礁栖鱼类物种多样性及其食性特征

通过新的方法(即潜水调查法)调查了西沙群岛浅水区的礁栖鱼类, 并从食性角度分析鱼类群落特征及其对水质环境变化的响应。2006年5-6月, 对西沙群岛6个岛礁(东岛、永兴岛、羚羊礁、金银岛、华光礁和中建岛)共10个站位的礁栖鱼类种类、数量和长度进行了调查, 结合公开资料(FishBase等)确定鱼类食性。共记录到29科71属119种鱼, 其中50种是新记录。至此, 西沙群岛的鱼类总记录已达到717种。从不同站位来看, 永兴岛西的种类数量和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数均最高。多数鱼种分布范围狭小。摄食浮游动物和底栖无脊椎动物的鱼类是优势类群, 而草食性、杂食性和食物链顶端食性的鱼类数量和生物量较低, 反映出西沙群岛珊瑚礁生态系统整体上健康稳定。永兴岛的杂食性鱼类的数量比例和生物量比例均高于其他岛礁, 反映出鱼类群落已对水体富营养化产生响应。     

珊瑚藻类对南麂列岛潮间带底栖生物群落多样性的影响

为了解南麂列岛潮间带珊瑚藻类对于其他大型藻类和底栖动物的影响, 在南麂列岛国家级海洋自然保护区布设了4条潮间带断面, 于2012年5月至2013年2月对其生物状况进行了逐季调查, 分别分析了中低潮区大型藻类、非珊瑚藻大型藻类、底栖动物的物种多样性和均匀度, 并计算了大型底栖动物的功能多样性指数Rao's Q。主要结果如下: (1)共采集和鉴定出大型藻类52种, 其中珊瑚藻科藻类有5种; (2)珊瑚藻类在高潮区没有分布, 在中低潮区均占据优势, 占潮间带藻类生物量的68.9%。四季中低潮区大型藻类的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数范围为1.638-4.044, 非珊瑚藻大型藻类的多样性指数范围为1.495-3.809, 底栖动物为5.289-6.917; 大型藻类的Pielou均匀度指数范围为0.819-0.971, 非珊瑚藻大型藻类的均匀度指数范围为0.830-0.973, 底栖动物为0.967-0.988; (3)大型藻类物种多样性和均匀度指数的降低与珊瑚藻类优势度的增加相关, 但珊瑚藻类优势度与底栖动物物种多样性指数、均匀度指数和功能多样性指数均没有显著相关性; (4)底栖动物功能多样性与珊瑚藻类优势度均呈低潮区高于中潮区的变化规律, 但相关性分析表明两者间并无直接联系。推测珊瑚藻类通过竞争占据了其他藻类的生存空间, 从而降低了南麂列岛潮间带大型藻类的物种多样性和均匀度。底栖动物则因其自身生活特点而使得珊瑚藻类的扩张未能影响其多样性水平。     

珊瑚礁生态系统中珊瑚藻的生态作用研究进展

珊瑚藻是海洋红藻中的大型钙化藻类,全球分布623种,中国现有记录共77种。随着生态科学研究的广泛展开,人们越来越认识到,珊瑚藻在海洋生态系统中,尤其在维持珊瑚礁生态系统的生物多样性及生态功能中发挥着重要作用。目前,科研人员对有关珊瑚藻的初级生产力、钙化作用以及在诱导底栖无脊椎动物幼虫的附着与变态等方面已有多方面的研究和探索。然而,有关珊瑚藻生态功能的深层次机理问题有待进一步深入研究。文章着重围绕目前珊瑚藻研究中的一些热点问题,从近年来珊瑚藻在珊瑚礁生态系统中的生态功能方面的研究概况进行综述,以期加深人们对珊瑚藻的认识,并促进对珊瑚藻生态功能的进一步深入研究。     

珊瑚礁生态系统病毒研究进展

病毒对珊瑚礁生态系统中的生物进化、生物地球化学循环、珊瑚疾病等方面具有重要的生态影响。随着珊瑚礁的全球性退化，病毒在珊瑚礁生态系统中的功能与危害日益显现。综述了珊瑚礁生态系统中病毒的研究现状与进展，包括：（1）珊瑚礁病毒的多样性与分布特征（水体、宿主、核心病毒组）；（2）珊瑚礁病毒的生态功能（感染方式、促进生物进化、生物地球化学循环）；（3）珊瑚礁病毒对全球气候变化的响应（热压力、珊瑚疾病）。总体而言，珊瑚礁生态系统具有极高的病毒多样性，所发现的60个科占已知所有病毒科数量的58%。珊瑚的核心病毒组主要由双链DNA病毒、单链DNA病毒、单链逆转录病毒所组成，珊瑚黏液层对病毒具有富集作用。"Piggyback-the-Winner"（依附-胜利）是病毒在珊瑚礁中主要的生物动力学模式，其可通过水平基因迁移的方式促进礁区生物进化。病毒可通过裂解细菌与浮游藻类的途径参与珊瑚礁的生物地球化学循环，尤其是碳循环与氮循环过程。此外，病毒还具有介导珊瑚热白化与直接引发珊瑚疾病的能力，这会影响珊瑚礁生态系统应对气候变化的适应性与恢复力。基于国际上的研究进展综述，结合南海珊瑚礁生态现状提出以下研究方向，以期促进我国珊瑚礁病毒学的发展：（1）开展南海珊瑚礁中病毒多样性的识别及其时-空分布特征研究；（2）探索病毒对南海珊瑚热白化、珊瑚疾病的介导作用及其与气候变化的关系；（3）揭示病毒对南海珊瑚礁生物地球化学循环的贡献。     

海南三亚后海海域珊瑚礁生态系统的健康状况及其影响因素

分别采用鹞式调查法和断面监测法调查了海南三亚后海海域珊瑚的物种多样性、覆盖率、病害和补充量等指标,利用健康指数(CI)评估了后海珊瑚礁生态系统的健康状况,并初步分析了影响该区域珊瑚礁健康状况的主要因素。调查发现:后海海域造礁石珊瑚54种,覆盖率达到50%以上,珊瑚病害及死亡率低,珊瑚补充量高达4.5个·m-2,CI值介于1.87~2.27,表明后海海域的珊瑚礁生态系统非常健康。分析认为:后海海域浅水区域存在的海草床和大型藻类,以及珊瑚礁区高密度的植食性动物和夏季上升流的存在是该区域珊瑚礁生态系统健康的主要原因。海草和海藻将陆源污染物过滤吸收,确保进入珊瑚礁生态系统的水质良好;数量众多的植食性动物(如魔鬼海胆Diadema setosum等)调控了大型藻类和珊瑚之间的竞争关系,保证大型海藻不会威胁到珊瑚的健康生长;而后海海域夏季上升流的出现使得该海域珊瑚礁生态系统不会受到高温的影响,不会产生热白化现象。这样,多个因素的共同作用保证了后海珊瑚礁生态系统的健康。     

微生物在珊瑚礁生态系统中的作用与功能

珊瑚礁是由珊瑚、鱼类、底栖生物、藻类以及微生物等多种生命形式组成的聚集体,代表着一类典型的海洋生态系统.珊瑚礁存在于热带和亚热带的寡营养环境,拥有极高的初级生产力和生产效率,被誉为“海底热带雨林”.微生物在珊瑚礁生态系统的生物地球化学循环、物质转化以及健康维护上具有重要作用.随着分子生态学的发展,微生物在珊瑚中的作用和功能日益凸显.本文总结了微生物生态学的研究现状,包括珊瑚生态系统中微生物的定植方式,共生微生物的特性(专一性、可塑性、协同进化),共生微生物与珊瑚疾病的关系与信号调节,以及微生物应对全球变化(气温升高、海水酸化、富营养化)的响应.从“珊瑚 微生物”共生体的发生、共生微生物的特性与生态功能,以及全球环境变化下微生物的衍生效应来梳理最新理论与成果,明确珊瑚微生物生态学机制,为更好地保护珊瑚资源、维护海洋生物多样性提供理论借鉴.     

底栖藻对扬子地台西缘晚奥陶世生态危机的改善作用

晚奥陶世的冈瓦纳大陆冰川导致全球性海退和两幕生物灭绝事件,第一幕,也是高潮幕,发生于Rawtheyan期末;第二幕发生于Hirnantian期末。在经历第一幕事件的过程中,扬子地台西缘的四川汉源地区大渡河组浅水相灰岩和硅质灰岩中出现了极其繁盛的底栖藻类,局部层位中可达到造礁的程度。大量底栖藻通过光合作用改善、缓冲了这一浅海地区的低温、缺氧的灾变环境,并成为生态系统重建的先驱群落。局部浅海环境的正常化为后生动物腕足类、三叶虫和海百合在Hirnantian期南郑组的短暂复苏创造了生存条件。当后生动物再度成为生态系统的主体时,啃食压力的增大使底栖藻的居群数量骤然减低。始于Hirnantian后期冰川消融的海进造成第二幕Hirnantia动物群的灭绝。     

典型红树林生态系统藻类多样性及其在生态过程中的作用

藻类是红树林生态系统重要的生物类群, 根据生态习性可分为浮游植物、底栖微藻和大型藻类三个生态类群, 它们在红树林生态系统生物多样性、初级生产、元素循环等方面起着重要作用。但在红树林生态系统中, 关注重点多集中在红树植物和动物, 对其中的藻类重视不够, 且多数研究集中在近20年以及亚洲的红树林区。事实上, 红树林生态系统藻类非常丰富, 其多样性研究有助于深入揭示红树林生态系统的结构与功能。本文介绍了红树林生态系统藻类的组成类群及其重要性, 重点对红树林区浮游植物、底栖硅藻和大型海藻的种类组成、地理分布及其与初级生产力、水质污染、元素循环、碳库形成等生态过程中的作用的研究动态和进展等进行了总结。根据已有研究, 红树林区浮游植物和底栖硅藻的种类数一般为几十到上百种, 其中硅藻在种类和数量上都占绝对优势, 它们是重要的初级生产者、饵料生物和水质污染指示生物; 红树林区底栖大型藻类主要由红藻、绿藻、褐藻、蓝藻组成, 绿藻的种类较多, 红藻在数量上占优势; 藻类是红树林湿地碳库的重要贡献者, 在红树林湿地生态系统碳汇和碳循环中起重要作用。红树林生态系统是个高度动态和异质的系统, 今后应加强红树林藻类多样性的长周期、大尺度变化及不同生境藻类的综合研究, 关注大陆径流和潮汐对藻类多样性和蓝碳的影响, 借助沉积物藻类记录, 探明红树林区藻类的长周期变化, 反演气候变化和人类活动对红树林生态系统的影响过程和机制。     

热带珊瑚礁区海参的生境选择与生态作用

珊瑚礁生态系统是一个高生产力、高生物多样性的特殊海洋生态系统,具有为生物提供栖息地、参与生物地球化学循环、防浪护岸、指示水体污染程度等生态功能。珊瑚礁生态系统的突出特点是其生境异质性很高,各种各样的生境斑块为种类繁多、习性各异的游泳和底栖生物提供栖息场所,这些礁栖生物通过参与各项生态过程而形成各种特定的功能群,共同完成重要的生态功能。在热带珊瑚礁生态系统中,海参是大型底栖动物区系的重要一员。种类繁多的海参具有各自不同的生境选择特征,通过摄食、运动等行为活动发挥着改良底质、促进有机物矿化和营养盐再生等生态作用。近几年来,全球热带海参受人类过度捕捞和珊瑚礁退化的影响而面临资源衰退、物种多样性丧失等问题,深入认识其生态学功能、加强热带海参资源保护迫在眉睫。综述了国内外热带珊瑚礁海参的基础生态学研究进展：海参对珊瑚礁生境斑块呈现显著的偏好选择特征以及种间差异和季节变动,不同生境斑块的食物质量、底质类型和水动力条件是影响海参生境偏好的重要因素;海参通过生物扰动可以改变珊瑚礁生境沉积物的含水量、渗透性、颗粒组成、再矿化率、无机营养物质释放速率以及孔隙水的化学梯度,并增加沉积物中的溶氧浓度、促进溶解...     

The influence of coral reef benthic condition on associated fish assemblages

Accumulative disturbances can erode a coral reef's resilience, often leading to replacement of scleractinian corals by macroalgae or other non-coral organisms. These degraded reef systems have been mostly described based on changes in the composition of the reef benthos, and there is little understanding of how such changes are influenced by, and in turn influence, other components of the reef ecosystem. This study investigated the spatial variation in benthic communities on fringing reefs around the inner Seychelles islands. Specifically, relationships between benthic composition and the underlying substrata, as well as the associated fish assemblages were assessed. High variability in benthic composition was found among reefs, with a gradient from high coral cover (up to 58%) and high structural complexity to high macroalgae cover (up to 95%) and low structural complexity at the extremes. This gradient was associated with declining species richness of fishes, reduced diversity of fish functional groups, and lower abundance of corallivorous fishes. There were no reciprocal increases in herbivorous fish abundances, and relationships with other fish functional groups and total fish abundance were weak. Reefs grouping at the extremes of complex coral habitats or low-complexity macroalgal habitats displayed markedly different fish communities, with only two species of benthic invertebrate feeding fishes in greater abundance in the macroalgal habitat. These results have negative implications for the continuation of many coral reef ecosystem processes and services if more reefs shift to extreme degraded conditions dominated by macroalgae.     

Coral Reef Community Composition in the Context of Disturbance History on the Great Barrier Reef,Australia

Much research on coral reefs has documented differential declines in coral and associated organisms. In order to contextualise this general degradation, research on community composition is necessary in the context of varied disturbance histories and the biological processes and physical features thought to retard or promote recovery. We conducted a spatial assessment of coral reef communities across five reefs of the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia, with known disturbance histories, and assessed patterns of coral cover and community composition related to a range of other variables thought to be important for reef dynamics. Two of the reefs had not been extensively disturbed for at least 15 years prior to the surveys. Three of the reefs had been severely impacted by crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and coral bleaching approximately a decade before the surveys, from which only one of them was showing signs of recovery based on independent surveys. We incorporated wave exposure (sheltered and exposed) and reef zone (slope, crest and flat) into our design, providing a comprehensive assessment of the spatial patterns in community composition on these reefs. Categorising corals into life history groupings, we document major coral community differences in the unrecovered reefs, compared to the composition and covers found on the undisturbed reefs. The recovered reef, despite having similar coral cover, had a different community composition from the undisturbed reefs, which may indicate slow successional processes, or a different natural community dominance pattern due to hydrology and other oceanographic factors. The variables that best correlated with patterns in the coral community among sites included the density of juvenile corals, herbivore fish biomass, fish species richness and the cover of macroalgae. Given increasing impacts to the Great Barrier Reef, efforts to mitigate local stressors will be imperative to encouraging coral communities to persist into the future.     

大型海藻在珊瑚礁退化过程中的作用

随着全球范围珊瑚礁的退化,大型海藻在珊瑚礁区的覆盖度呈增多的趋势。大型海藻的大量生长,妨碍了珊瑚的生长、繁殖、恢复等过程。概括起来,大型海藻对珊瑚生长、繁殖及恢复过程所产生的不利影响主要包括:(1)大型海藻通过与珊瑚竞争空间和光照而影响珊瑚生长;(2)大型海藻与珊瑚直接接触时,通过摩擦作用及释放化感物质而影响珊瑚生长;(3)大型海藻的大量生长打破了珊瑚与海藻的竞争平衡,珊瑚为应对大型海藻的入侵而把用于生长和繁殖的能量转移到组织修复与防御上,进而造成珊瑚繁殖能量的减少;(4)大型海藻通过影响珊瑚幼虫的附着及附着后的存活率,而阻碍珊瑚群落的发展;(5)海藻还能通过富集沉积物、释放病原体及扰乱珊瑚共生微生物的生长等而间接影响珊瑚生长。明确的竞争机制有利于研究海藻与珊瑚的相互作用过程。在总结前人对海藻与珊瑚的竞争机制研究的基础上,把两者的竞争机制划分成物理机制、化学机制、微生物机制三大类,物理机制是研究得比较透彻的竞争机制,而化学机制与微生物机制则需要更深入的研究,是当前研究的热点。目前,我国对珊瑚礁中底栖海藻与珊瑚的相互作用研究甚少;鉴于此,对底栖海藻功能群的划分类型以及三大类型底栖海藻对珊瑚的作用特点做了简要介绍,并对珊瑚礁退化的现状和退化珊瑚礁区内海藻的表现做了概述。在此基础上,再综述国外关于大型海藻对珊瑚的影响研究进展,指出我国应该加强对南海珊瑚礁区大型海藻的种类分布及丰富度等的调查,评价大型海藻对南海珊瑚礁的影响现状;并结合生理学、分子生物学技术和生态学研究手段,在细胞与分子水平上探索海藻对珊瑚的影响机制,以期为珊瑚礁生态系统的保护提供参考。     

High macroalgal cover and low coral recruitment undermines the potential resilience of the world's southernmost coral reef assemblages

Coral reefs are under increasing pressure from anthropogenic and climate-induced stressors. The ability of reefs to reassemble and regenerate after disturbances (i.e., resilience) is largely dependent on the capacity of herbivores to prevent macroalgal expansion, and the replenishment of coral populations through larval recruitment. Currently there is a paucity of this information for higher latitude, subtropical reefs. To assess the potential resilience of the benthic reef assemblages of Lord Howe Island (31°32'S, 159°04'E), the worlds' southernmost coral reef, we quantified the benthic composition, densities of juvenile corals (as a proxy for coral recruitment), and herbivorous fish communities. Despite some variation among habitats and sites, benthic communities were dominated by live scleractinian corals (mean cover 37.4%) and fleshy macroalgae (20.9%). Live coral cover was higher than in most other subtropical reefs and directly comparable to lower latitude tropical reefs. Juvenile coral densities (0.8 ind.m(-2)), however, were 5-200 times lower than those reported for tropical reefs. Overall, macroalgal cover was negatively related to the cover of live coral and the density of juvenile corals, but displayed no relationship with herbivorous fish biomass. The biomass of herbivorous fishes was relatively low (204 kg.ha(-1)), and in marked contrast to tropical reefs was dominated by macroalgal browsing species (84.1%) with relatively few grazing species. Despite their extremely low biomass, grazing fishes were positively related to both the density of juvenile corals and the cover of bare substrata, suggesting that they may enhance the recruitment of corals through the provision of suitable settlement sites. Although Lord Howe Islands' reefs are currently coral-dominated, the high macroalgal cover, coupled with limited coral recruitment and low coral growth rates suggest these reefs may be extremely susceptible to future disturbances.     

Destruction of corals and other reef animals by coral spawn slicks on Ningaloo Reef,Western Australia

In March 1989, most of the corals near Coral Bay, off the north-western coastline of Australia, spawned several nights earlier than usual. Flood, rather than ebb, tides at the time of spawning combined with light north-west winds and low swell conditions to restrict the dispersal of coral propagules and, as a result, large amounts of coral spawn were trapped in the bay, forming extensive slicks. Fish and other animals began to die almost immediately, and over the next few days, over 1 million fish, representing at least 80 species, were washed ashore. A survey of the benthic communities revealed extensive mortality of corals and other reef animals over an area of about 3 km². Live coral cover in this area decreased from 42.9% to 9.4% and several large coral colonies up to 10 m in diameter were killed. The observed mortality was presumably the result of hypoxia (oxygen depletion) created initially by the respiratory demand of the coral spawn and maintained by the biological oxygen demand of the decomposing spawn slicks and dead animals. Anecdotal reports of corals and other reef animals dying in the vicinity of coral spawn slicks on other reefs in Western Australia suggest that this phenomenon may be a relatively common event on shallow coral reefs where coral mass spawning occurs. These records and observations document, for the first time, a new source of natural disturbance that has a significant influence on the community structure of some coral reefs.     

Analysis on variation trend of coral reef in Xisha

Xisha Islands, located in the northern part of South China Sea, consist of more than 20 islands and atolls. The coral reef of Xisha Islands belongs to the typical ocean distribution of world’s coral reefs, its ecosystem is the most typical in our country and hermatypic coral species are about three-quarters of the total coral species in China. It is addressed with the oldest coral reef community which of the most original and valuable in China. The previous research shows that the islands studded in South China Sea such as Xisha Islands have important influence on the formation of coral reefs along the mainland coast by multiplying and migrating from south to the north. It is supplementary sources of coastal coral larvae in Hainan and Guangdong. Therefore, carrying out the monitoring of coral reef community ecosystem is of great significance to the ecological protection. By the Manta tow and the Line Intercept Transect method, five stations (Xisha Yong xing dao, Shi dao, Xisha zhou, Zhao Shu dao and Bei dao) on Xisha ecological monitoring area were monitored continually from 2005 to 2009. We compared the index changes of Hermatypic coral’s species, coverage and recruitment, and combining with Condition Index, Succession Index, and the variation trend of hard coral in Xisha were analyzed.
The results show that, from 2005 to 2009, the coverage of living hermatypic corals in ecological monitoring area is sharply reduced from 68.19% to 7.93%, while the dead coral coverage is sharply increased from 4.70% to 72.90%. Coral recruitment is reduced from 1.18 ind/100 m² to 0.07 ind/100 m², hermatypic coral species decreased from 87 to 35. In 2005, the health of coral reefs was very good, and the Condition Index was 1.097. However, the Condition Index cut down to a very low degree in 2009. It was only ?0.880. The Succession Index belonged to “very low degree” from 2005 to 2009, and the numerical value was gradually reduce from ?0.984 to ?1.876.
As a whole, hermatypic corals are serious degrade regionally and caused great change to the coral structure and biodiversity, this will lead to a continuous degradation of coral reefs.     

Black reefs: iron-induced phase shifts on coral reefs

The Line Islands are calcium carbonate coral reef platforms located in iron-poor regions of the central Pacific. Natural terrestrial run-off of iron is non-existent and aerial deposition is extremely low. However, a number of ship groundings have occurred on these atolls. The reefs surrounding the shipwreck debris are characterized by high benthic cover of turf algae, macroalgae, cyanobacterial mats and corallimorphs, as well as particulate-laden, cloudy water. These sites also have very low coral and crustose coralline algal cover and are call black reefs because of the dark-colored benthic community and reduced clarity of the overlying water column. Here we use a combination of benthic surveys, chemistry, metagenomics and microcosms to investigate if and how shipwrecks initiate and maintain black reefs. Comparative surveys show that the live coral cover was reduced from 40 to 60% to <10% on black reefs on Millennium, Tabuaeran and Kingman. These three sites are relatively large (>0.75 km²). The phase shift occurs rapidly; the Kingman black reef formed within 3 years of the ship grounding. Iron concentrations in algae tissue from the Millennium black reef site were six times higher than in algae collected from reference sites. Metagenomic sequencing of the Millennium Atoll black reef-associated microbial community was enriched in iron-associated virulence genes and known pathogens. Microcosm experiments showed that corals were killed by black reef rubble through microbial activity. Together these results demonstrate that shipwrecks and their associated iron pose significant threats to coral reefs in iron-limited regions.     

Macroalgae Decrease Growth and Alter Microbial Community Structure of the Reef-Building Coral, Porites astreoides

With the continued and unprecedented decline of coral reefs worldwide, evaluating the factors that contribute to coral demise is of critical importance. As coral cover declines, macroalgae are becoming more common on tropical reefs. Interactions between these macroalgae and corals may alter the coral microbiome, which is thought to play an important role in colony health and survival. Together, such changes in benthic macroalgae and in the coral microbiome may result in a feedback mechanism that contributes to additional coral cover loss. To determine if macroalgae alter the coral microbiome, we conducted a field-based experiment in which the coral Porites astreoides was placed in competition with five species of macroalgae. Macroalgal contact increased variance in the coral-associated microbial community, and two algal species significantly altered microbial community composition. All macroalgae caused the disappearance of a γ-proteobacterium previously hypothesized to be an important mutualist of P. astreoides. Macroalgal contact also triggered: 1) increases or 2) decreases in microbial taxa already present in corals, 3) establishment of new taxa to the coral microbiome, and 4) vectoring and growth of microbial taxa from the macroalgae to the coral. Furthermore, macroalgal competition decreased coral growth rates by an average of 36.8%. Overall, this study found that competition between corals and certain species of macroalgae leads to an altered coral microbiome, providing a potential mechanism by which macroalgae-coral interactions reduce coral health and lead to coral loss on impacted reefs.     

Kenyan coral reef lagoon fish: effects of fishing,substrate complexity,and sea urchins

Population density, number of species, diversity, and species-area relationships of fish species in eight common coral reef-associated families were studied in three marine parks receiving total protection from fishing, four sites with unregulated fishing, and one reef which recently received protection from fishing (referred to as a transition reef). Data on coral cover, reef topographic complexity, and sea urchin abundance were collected and correlated with fish abundance and species richness. The most striking result of this survey is a consistent and large reduction in the population density and species richness of 5 families (surgeonfish, triggerfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, and parrotfish). Poor recovery of parrotfish in the transition reef, relative to other fish families, is interpreted as evidence for competitive exclusion of parrotfish by sea urchins. Reef substrate complexity is significantly associated with fish abundance and diversity, but data suggest different responses for protected versus fished reefs, protected reefs having higher species richness and numbers of individuals than unprotected reefs for the same reef complexity. Sea urchin abundance is negatively associated with numbers of fish and fish species but the interrelationship between sea urchins, substrate complexity, coral cover, and management make it difficult to attribute a set percent of variance to each factor-although fishing versus no fishing appears to be the strongest variable in predicting numbers of individuals and species of fish, and their community similarity. Localized species extirpation is evident for many species on fished reefs (for the sampled area of 1.0 ha). Fifty-two of 110 species found on protected reefs were not found on unprotected reefs.