中国南方二叠纪海绵礁的成礁模式

广泛发育于我国南方碳酸盐岩台地区的二叠纪生物礁,其中绝大多数属于海绵生物礁。从该地区二叠纪海绵生物礁的内部成礁因素分析,即从主要造礁生物－钙质海绵和钙质藻类等的生物学和生态学特征、埋藏和保存特点等方面进行分析,提出了华南二叠纪海绵生物礁主要是由于其主要造礁生物钙质海绵和钙质藻类独特的生物学特征、生态学特征以及它们的共同作用所形成的。此模式与其它地质历史时期生物礁的成礁模式明显不同。     

“海洋生态系统工程师”及其生态作用

“海洋生态系统工程师”是能够塑造栖息地并使其他海洋生物受益的海洋生物种类。海洋中的植物、动物和微生物中均存在为其他生物种类塑造栖息地的“海洋生态系统工程师”,它们的生态作用是其发挥生态功能的基础。本文基于国内外相关文献,系统阐述了“海洋生态系统工程师”生态作用的相关研究进展,并对今后的主要研究方向和内容提出建议。“海洋生态系统工程师”能够在特定的海洋环境中发挥积极作用,但一旦成为入侵种可能会对入侵海域产生负面影响;有些“海洋生态系统工程师”在发挥积极作用的同时也会在不同程度上带来负面影响。今后,应加强海洋生物床、海洋生物礁、海洋生物膜和复合生态系统工程等研究,有效利用“海洋生态系统工程师”的积极作用并防控其负面影响,实现对海洋的综合开发利用和保护。     

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。     

华南板块古生代生物礁及其古地理控制因素

华南板块在古生代处于中、低纬度,碳酸盐岩类型多样并形成不同时空背景下的多种生物礁建造,生物礁发展序列基本吻合于全球古生代生物礁的宏演化趋势,寒武纪生物群和古生代动物群演化过程中重要造礁生物门类的起源、辐射、灭绝与复苏事件是塑造礁群落基本生态结构的历史因素。寒武纪早期的古杯-藻礁和继之的微生物礁生长区域相当局限;早—中奥陶世的苔藓虫礁、藻礁以及瓶筐石-硬海绵礁群落分异明显;晚奥陶世珊瑚-层孔虫礁以及藻丘建造见于浙赣局限台地及台缘带,而扬子区志留纪兰多维列世生物礁的生长频繁受陆源碎屑岩覆盖;中泥盆世的珊瑚-层孔虫-藻礁群落结构相对稳定,晚泥盆世法门期—密西西比亚纪的微生物礁、苔藓虫-珊瑚礁、宾夕法尼亚亚纪—早二叠世的苔藓虫-海绵-藻礁、中—晚二叠世的珊瑚-苔藓虫-海绵-藻礁可诠释为与生物灭绝事件相关的幕式群落演替。区域构造活动导致的岩相分异和海平面变化显著制约生物礁的时空分布。中—晚奥陶世的偏深水环境、志留纪兰多维列世—早泥盆世早期扬子区整体抬升的古地理格局造成适宜于生物礁生长海域的缩减;泥盆纪较长的温室期促进了生物礁发展,而宾夕法尼亚亚纪—早二叠世偏凉的海洋水体对生物礁的规模影响力度明显。从华南板块古生界整体的视角看,海相碳酸盐岩具有量值优势,海水在时间尺度和空间展布上多维持较高的清澈度,陆源碎屑岩沉积在特定的时间段可视为生物礁生长的主控因素;海平面变化因其幅度有限可在单剖面或区域上控制生物礁群落的纵横迁移,碳酸盐岩沉积区多见基底沉降与沉积补偿速率基本均衡,具备不同规模的浅海相沉积空间,因此水深变化并非起到决定性作用。特定时段碳酸盐岩台地海水的盐度异常可造成大规模白云岩沉积可排除生物礁发育。     

钙质海锦之古生态

古生代生物礁中钙质海绵（纤维海绵、房室海绵、硬海绵）的生态位在中三叠世以后被生态竞争能力更强的六射珊瑚所占据。在古生代和中三叠世的钙质海绵礁上,０－１０ｍ深度内钙质海绵很发育。由于与钙藻共生,典型的造礁钙质海绵生活在透光带以内,并且在其上部更丰富。钙质海绵礁也会生长到破浪带内并受风浪的破坏而形成倒骨岩和骨屑岩。对古生代的钙质海绵礁而言,倒骨岩和骨屑岩形成于０－３ｍ水深范围内,亮晶骨架岩形成于３－１     

塔里木板块塔中区上奥陶统良里塔格组的生物礁类型

塔里木板块塔中Ⅰ号坡折带附近上奥陶统良里塔格组取芯井段中可识别多种生物礁灰岩类型,包括珊瑚骨架/障积岩、海绵骨架/绑结岩、苔藓虫绑结岩、钙藻障积岩、钙质菌藻障积/绑结岩等礁灰岩类,藉此可归纳出珊瑚礁、珊瑚-钙藻礁、层孔虫礁、层孔虫-钙藻礁、珊瑚-层孔虫-钙藻礁、苔藓虫礁丘、钙藻礁丘、灰泥丘和微生物礁等生物建造单元。这些礁体的时空分布模式与古环境分异相关联,纵向上具有灰泥丘向珊瑚-层孔虫-钙藻礁至苔藓虫礁丘和钙藻礁的群落结构更替趋势;空间分布则向台地北缘,即I号坡折带延伸显示由低能带灰泥丘向高能带珊瑚-层孔虫-钙藻礁的相变,而且高能带珊瑚-层孔虫-钙藻主体礁和环其周缘相对低能带的钙藻礁丘、灰泥丘等在一定范围内构成造礁群落结构分异。     

河口地区牡蛎礁的生态功能及恢复措施

在许多温带河口区,牡蛎礁是具有重要生态功能的特殊生境。牡蛎礁在净化水体、提供栖息生境、保护生物多样性和耦合生态系统能量流动等方面均具有重要的功能。近100年来,由于过度采捕、环境污染、病害和生境破坏等原因,许多温带河口区牡蛎种群数量持续下降,河口生态系统的结构与功能受到破坏,富营养化越来越严重。为了修复河口生态系统、净化水质和促进渔业可持续发展,近20年来,世界各地开展了一系列牡蛎礁的恢复活动,尤其美国在东海岸及墨西哥湾建立了大量的人工牡蛎礁,许多研究结果证实,构建的人工牡蛎礁经过2~3年时间,就能恢复自然生境的生态功能。本文介绍了我国首次牡蛎增殖放流工程-长江口南北导堤牡蛎礁,近2年的监测结果显示,长江口导堤牡蛎种群数量快速增长,附近水生生态系统的结构与功能得到明显改善。最后,针对目前牡蛎礁恢复过程中存在的不足,提出了需进一步研究的课题,包括牡蛎基础生物学(病害和分子系统进化),牡蛎礁恢复的关键技术、科学程序及成功的评价标准等。     

鄂尔多斯盆地西南缘陕西陇县晚奥陶世背锅山组生物礁

鄂尔多斯盆地西南缘的陕西陇县李家坡晚奥陶世背锅山组生物礁为典型的台地边缘礁,包括层孔虫礁、珊瑚礁、钙藻礁等几种类型,主要为层孔虫礁。经过系统古生物学研究,鉴定出层孔虫有5个属,分别为Ecclimadictyon(蜂巢层孔虫)、Clathrodictyon(网格层孔虫)、Tuvaechis(图瓦层孔虫)、Rosenella(罗森层孔虫)、Labechiella(小拉贝希层孔虫)等;珊瑚有6个属,分别为Tetradium(四分珊瑚),Hemiagetolitella(拟半阿盖特珊瑚),Plasmoporella(似网膜珊瑚),Eofletcheria(始弗莱契珊瑚),Catenipora(镣珊瑚),Reuschia(劳氏珊瑚);钙藻以Vermiporella(蠕孔藻)和Solenopora(管孔藻)为主。礁发育早期以层状层孔虫包卷砂屑、单体珊瑚、管状海绵、块状钙藻等形态为主要特征,礁发育中后期以块状和球状的层孔虫以及大型的床板珊瑚形成格架为主要特征。礁体发育过程中居礁生物都很丰富,有三叶虫、腕足类、介形类、大棘皮类和丛状的蓝细菌等。通过与塔中台地以及扬子台地的晚奥陶世台缘礁对比,发现造礁生物的属种和礁岩类型均有相似之处,说明中国晚奥陶世生物礁的分布具有等时性。     

珊瑚礁生态修复研究进展

珊瑚礁生态系统有着很高的生物多样性和重要的生态功能。20世纪80年代以后全球范围内珊瑚礁的大面积退化引起了人们广泛的关注。简述了世界珊瑚礁资源现状,破坏原因,生态修复方法以及我国的珊瑚礁资源现状和修复策略等。国际上通用的生态修复策略主要是根据珊瑚的两种繁殖方式进行的,此外再配合人为的适度干扰,增加珊瑚的成活率。方法主要有：珊瑚移植、Gardening、人工渔礁、底质稳固、幼体附着等以及对相关利益者的宣传,海岸带的保护等。我国珊瑚礁退化严重,但是由于缺乏相关的科技资料报道和技术支持,缺乏系统的研究,使得珊瑚礁的生态修复成绩甚微,今后应在该领域开展更多的工作。     

钙质海绵之古生态

古生代生物礁中钙质海绵(纤维海绵、房室海绵、硬海绵)的生态位在中三叠世以后被生态竞争能力更强的六射珊瑚所占据.在古生代和中三叠世的钙质海绵礁上,0-10m深度内钙质海绵很发育.由于与钙藻共生,典型的造礁钙质海绵生活在透光带以内,并且在其上部更丰富.钙质海绵礁也会生长到破浪带内并受风浪的破坏而形成倒骨岩和骨屑岩.对古生代的钙质海绵礁而言,倒骨岩和骨屑岩形成于0-3m水深范围内,亮晶骨架岩形成于3-10m深度范围内,灰泥骨架岩形成于10-20m的水深,障积岩形成于20-30m的水深,潜障积岩形成于30-40m的水深.钙质海绵的生长形态与水深的关系与六射珊瑚与水深的关系一样:细枝状的钙质海绵生长在最浅的水中(相当于礁生长带的上部),在稍深的水中(相当于礁生长带的中部和下部)各种形态的海绵都会出现,在更深的水中可以出现特别大的、锥状的海绵.     

Importance of foraminifera for the formation and maintenance of a coral sand cay: Green Island, Australia

 CaCO₃ production by reef-building organisms on Green Island Reef in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia is estimated and compared with the contribution of benthic foraminifera to the sediment mass of the vegetated sand cay. Major constituents of the cay are benthic foraminifera (mainly Amphistegina lessonii, Baculogypsina sphaerulata, and Calcarina hispida), calcareous algae (Halimeda and coralline algae), hermatypic corals, and molluscs. Among these reef-building organisms, benthic foraminifera are the single most important contributor to the sediment mass of the island (ca. 30% of total sediments), although their production of CaCO₃ is smaller than other reef-building organisms. Water current measurements and sediment traps indicate that the velocity of the current around Green Island is suitable for transportation and deposition of foraminiferal tests. Abundant foraminifera presently live in association with algal turf on the shallow exposed reef flat, whose tests were accumulated by waves resulting in the formation and maintenance of the coral sand cay. Accepted: 30 June 1999     

Paleoecology of Pennsylvanian phylloid algal buildups in south Guizhou,China

Pennsylvanian phylloid algal reefs are widespread and well exposed in south Guizhou, China. Here we report on reefs ranging from 2 to 8 m thickness and 30–50 m lateral extension. Algae, the main components, display a wide spectrum of growth forms, but are commonly cyathiform (cup-shaped) and leaf-like (undulate plates). The algal reef facies is dominated by boundstone. Algal thalli form a dense carpet whose framework pores are filled with marine cement and peloidal micrite. The peloidal matrix is dense, partly laminated or clotted with irregular surfaces and often gravity defying. Algal reefs in Guizhou differ from examples reported to date by the high biodiversity of organisms other than phylloids: e.g., the intergrowth of algae with corals (some of which are twice the size of algal thalli) and numerous large brachiopods. This contrasts to previous views that phylloid algal “meadows” dominated the actual seafloor, excluding other biota. Also, the pervasive marine cements (up to 50%) including botryoidal cement are noteworthy. Algal reefs developed at platform margins, a depositional environment similar to that of modern Halimeda mounds in Java, Australia and off Bahamas, and to that of time-equivalent examples reported from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Whereas nutrients appear decisive in the growth of Halimeda reefs, algal reefs reported herein seemingly grew under conditions of low nutrient levels. Overall, algal reefs in Guizhou challenge previous views on growth forms, diversity patterns, and depositional environments and add to the spectrum of these partly puzzling biogenic structures.     

Ocean warming and acidification have complex interactive effects on the dynamics of a marine fungal disease

Diseases threaten the structure and function of marine ecosystems and are contributing to the global decline of coral reefs. We currently lack an understanding of how climate change stressors, such as ocean acidification (OA) and warming, may simultaneously affect coral reef disease dynamics, particularly diseases threatening key reef-building organisms, for example crustose coralline algae (CCA). Here, we use coralline fungal disease (CFD), a previously described CCA disease from the Pacific, to examine these simultaneous effects using both field observations and experimental manipulations. We identify the associated fungus as belonging to the subphylum Ustilaginomycetes and show linear lesion expansion rates on individual hosts can reach 6.5 mm per day. Further, we demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that ocean-warming events could increase the frequency of CFD outbreaks on coral reefs, but that OA-induced lowering of pH may ameliorate outbreaks by slowing lesion expansion rates on individual hosts. Lowered pH may still reduce overall host survivorship, however, by reducing calcification and facilitating fungal bio-erosion. Such complex, interactive effects between simultaneous extrinsic environmental stressors on disease dynamics are important to consider if we are to accurately predict the response of coral reef communities to future climate change.     

Harmful algae on tropical coral reefs: Bottom-up eutrophication and top-down herbivory

A conceptual paradigm, the “Relative Dominance Model”, provides the perspective to assess the interactive external forcing-mechanisms controlling phase shifts among the dominant benthic functional groups on tropical coral reefs [i.e., microalgal turfs and frondose macroalgae (often harmful) versus reef-building corals and calcareous coralline algae (mostly beneficial due to accretion of calcareous reef framework)]. Manipulative experiments, analyses of existing communities and bioassays tested hypotheses that the relative dominances of these functional groups are mediated by two principal controlling factors: nutrients (i.e., bottom-up control) and herbivory (i.e., top-down control). The results show that reduced nutrients alone do not preclude fleshy algal growth when herbivory is low, and high herbivory alone does not prevent fleshy algal growth when nutrients are elevated. However, reduced nutrients in combination with high herbivory virtually eliminate all forms of fleshy micro- and macro-algae. The findings reveal considerable complexity in that increases in bottom-up nutrient controls and their interactions stimulate harmful fleshy algal blooms (that can alter the abundance patterns among functional groups, even under intense herbivory); conversely, elevated nutrients inhibit the growth of ecologically beneficial reef-building corals. The results show even further complexity in that nutrients also act directly as either limiting factors (e.g., physiological stresses) or as stimulatory mechanisms (e.g., growth enhancing factors), as well as functioning indirectly by influencing competitive outcomes. Herbivory directly reduces fleshy-algal biomass, which indirectly (via competitive release) favors the expansion of grazer-resistant reef-building corals and coralline algae. Because of the sensitive nature of direct/indirect and stimulating/limiting interacting factors, coral reefs are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic reversal effects that decrease top-down controls and, concomitantly, increase bottom-up controls, dramatically altering ecosystem resiliencies.     

The history of Devonian-Carboniferous reef communities: Extinctions,effects, recovery

Summary Analysis of the taxonomic composition, diversity and guild structure of five “typical” reef and mud mound communities ranging in age from Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous indicates that each of these aspects of community organization changed dramatically in relation to three extinction events. These events include a major or mass extinction at the end of the Frasnian; reef communities were also effected by less drastic end-Givetian and mid-late Famennian extinctions of reef-building higher taxa. Peak Paleozoic generic diversities for reef-building stromatoporoids and rugose corals occurred in the Eifelian-Givetian; reef-building calcareous algal taxa were longranging with peak diversity in the Devonian. These three higher taxa dominated all reef-building guilds (Constructor, Binder, Baffler) in the Frasnian and formed fossil reef communities with balanced guild structures. The extinction of nearly all reef-building stromatoporoids and rugose corals at the end of the Frasnian and the survival of nearly all calcareous algac produced mid-late Famennian reef communities dominated by the Binder Guild. Despite the survival of most calcareous algae and tabulate corals, the mid-late Famennian extinction of all remaining Paleozoic stromatoporoids and nearly all shelf-dwelling Rugosa brought the already diminished Devonian reef-building to a halt. These Devonian extinctions differ from mass extinctions by the absence of a statistically significant drop in taxonomic diversity and by their successional and cumulative effects on reef communities. Tournaisian mud mounds contain communities markedly different from the frame-building communities in Late Devonian and Visean reefs. Mound-building biotas consist of an unusual association dominated by erect, weakly skeletonized members of the Baffler Guild (chiefly fenestrate Bryozoa; Pelmatozoa) and laterally expanded, mud-binding algae/stromatolites and reptant Bryozoa. The initial recovery to reefs with skeletal frameworks in the Visean was largely due to the re-appearance of new species of abundant colonial rugose corals (Constructor Guild) and fenestrate Bryozoa. This Frasnian-Visean evolution in the taxonomic composition and structure of the reef-building guilds is also expressed by abrupt changes in biofacies and petrology of the reef limestones they produced. Thus, “typical” Frasnian reef limestones with balanced guild structures are framestones-boundstones-bafflestones, Famennian reefs are predominantly boundstones, Tournaisian mud mounds are bafflestones and Visean reefs are bafflestones-framestones.     

Sedimentary environments of the Central Region of the Great Barrier Reef of Australia

The sediments and calcareous organisms on the outer reefal shelf of the Central Region of the Great Barrier Reef were collected and observed by SCUBA diving and research vessel techniques (including underwater television) to understand the production and processes of deposition of the sediment. The carbonate grains are mainly sand and gravel size and solely of skeletal origin. Over the whole area the major CaCO₃ producers, in order of decreasing importance are: benthic foraminiferans (chiefly Operculina, Amphistegina, Marginopora, Alveolinella and Cycloclypeus), the calcareous green alga Halimeda, molluscs and corals. Coral abundance is high only close to reefs and submerged rocky substrates. Benthic foraminiferal sands dominate the inter-reef areas i.e. the bulk of the shelf, and Halimeda gravels form an outer shelf band between 60 and 100 m depths. Seven distinct facies are recognised after quantitative analyses of the sediments. These are: A. Shelf edge slope (>120 m depth); B. Shelf edge (with rocky outcrops); C. Outer shelf with high Halimeda (>40%); D. Inter-reef I; E. Inter-reef II ( 100 m depth but >2% pelagics); F. Lee-ward reef talus wedge (<2 km from sea level reefs); G. Lagoonal.     

What is hermatypic?

The term hermatypic, as widely used in the literature of extant and fossil Scleractinia, includes, by definition (Wells 1933), the confusing generalization of equating reef-building with containing zooxanthellae. In course of time the use of the term diverged into denoting organisms which are either reef-building (including calcareous Rhodophyta) or those that contain zooxanthellae (including soft Alcyonaria). The equation: reef-building corals harbour zooxanthellae and vice-versa, is invalidated by reviewing the various ecological categories of corals such as: reef-building species without the support of zooxanthellae, zooxanthellae-containing corals which inhabit but do not build reefs, zooxanthellae-containing, non-reef-building corals beyond the bathymetric and latitudinal limits of reefs, and framework-erecting corals in deep waters without zooxanthellae. Former attempts to improve the original definition of hermatypic are shown to be insufficient to match the ecological diversity of corals. A strict terminological separation of the properties zooxanthellae-containing, reef-building and (more generally) framework-building is provided by the use of the revised, respectively new terms zooxanthellate, hermatypic and constructional (with the respective antonyms azooxanthellate, ahermatypic and nonconstructional). This terminology also applies to non-scleractinians.     

Palaeoecology of coralline sponge-coral meadows from the upper jurassic of Portugal

TheComophyllia polymorpha-Crispispongia cf.expansa association of the Kimmeridgian Alcobaça Formation occurs in a 5–10 m thick unit that can be followed for at least 10 km in the vicinity of Alcobaça (Estremadura). Corals, coralline sponges (mainly Calcarea), cryptalgal crusts and, to a lesser extent, crinoids are the dominant constituents of the autochthonous community relic which can be grouped in framebuilders, framework encrusters, frame binders, reef-dwellers, and reef destroyers. These organisms formed low meadows in a shallow, fully marine environment subject to low rates of sedimentation and moderate to low energy levels punctuated by rare high energy events. The abundance of coralline sponges in reefs and reef-like communities is uncommon in the Jurassic and appears to be restricted to very shallow water environments.