Interpreting coral reef monitoring data: A guide for improved management decisions

Coral reef monitoring programmes exist in all regions of the world, recording reef attributes such as coral cover, fish biomass and macroalgal cover. Given the cost of such monitoring programs, and the degraded state of many of the world’s reefs, understanding how reef monitoring data can be used to shape management decisions for coral reefs is a high priority. However, there is no general guide to understanding the ecological implications of the data in a format that can trigger a management response. We attempt to provide such a guide for interpreting the temporal trends in 41 coral reef monitoring attributes, recorded by seven of the largest reef monitoring programmes. We show that only a small subset of these attributes is required to identify the stressors that have impacted a reef (i.e. provide a diagnosis), as well as to estimate the likely recovery potential (prognosis). Two of the most useful indicators, turf algal canopy height and coral colony growth rate are not commonly measured, and we strongly recommend their inclusion in reef monitoring. The diagnosis and prognosis system that we have developed may help guide management actions and provides a foundation for further development as biological and ecological insights continue to grow.     

Morphologie, Ökologie und Zonierung von Korallenriffen bei Aqaba, (Golf von Aqaba,Rotes Meer)

The coral reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba are among the most northern ones of the world. This study, the first concerning the east coast of this topographically and hydrographically peculiar sea, considers relationships of biophysiographical and structural reef zones to fundamental abiotic environmental factors. An introduction to paleogeography, geology, petrography, topography, climate and hydrography is followed by terminological definitions used to describe the different reef areas. The investigations were carried out on two transects crossing fringing reefs of different shape. Each transect was 20 m wide and run from the shore over nearly 200 m to the fore reef in about 30 m depth. One reef, a “coastal-fringing reef”, represents an unaltered straight reef flat from shore to the reef edge 60 m away; two large pinnacles reach the surface some 125 m off the shore. The other reef, a “lagoon-fringing reef”, is divided into a 100 m wide lagoon of 0.5–2.3 m depth and a reef crest separated from the former by a rear reef. The reef platform of the lagoon-fringing reef is cut by a system of channels and tunnels; the reef edge is about 135 m off shore. Such water depth, substrate, temperature, illumination and water movement were recorded, about 200 common or dominant species (plants and animals) were collected, their distribution plotted and, together with other data and structural items, charted. Indicator species characterize the biophysiographical zones. Their variation as well as that of the structural and substrate zones depend on different zones of water movement. This basic factor also controls other ecological parameters such as food and oxygen supply as well as temperature and salinity gradients between fore reef and shore. From this point of view the ecological requirements of some indicator and other species and conversely the ecological settings of different reef areas are discussed. The different shapes of both reefs are explained on the basis of a “reef development cycle” — a hypothesis applicable to fringing reefs at unchanging sea level and based on the fact that only a small surf-influenced area of “living reef” is able to compensate for reef destruction: While a young coastal fringing reef is growing outwards, its back reef is gradually altered to a reef lagoon by erosion. After stillstand of seaward expansion the reef crest, too, is cut by a channel system eroded by rip currents. This stage is represented by the lagoon-fringing reef. Isolated pinnacles remain as remnants of the former reef crest; young coastal-fringing reefs develop from the shore. This stage is examplified by the first reef studied. Extension, growth intensity, dominant frame building corals, and the number of species of the Aqaba reefs are compared with those of Eilat and with reefs of the middle Red Sea, South India, Southwest-Pacific and Jamaica.     

Science and management of coral reefs: problems and prospects

Conclusion It should be recognised that many principles of reef management do not need further research, as they involve changing human behaviour and activities in order to remove or reduce impacts on reefs. Much of the time of a reef manager is taken up with social, economic and political issues: the integration of reef management into broad coastal zone management objectives; the development of community participation and co-management; and the organisation of training and education pro-grammes so that people in countries where reefs are located are able to take responsibility for their sustainable management.Perhaps the main obstacle to be overcome is poor communication (Harmon 1994). Many reef scientists are already strongly convinced of the need to communicate their results and the implications of these for management and conservation policy (Hatcher et al. 1989), but they may however need to understand that reef managers are not always able or willing to act on their advice because of political, economic or social factors.Pure research is increasingly being conducted within a framework of goals identified as important to society. Funding is invariably easier to obtain if it can be demonstrated that the research will have some ultimate benefit in management terms, and much research is being commissioned because of the need for practical solutions. As the complexity of management becomes more apparent and managers themselves call for more scientific support and advice, the role that science has to play in perceiving and defining problems, understanding the mechanisms involved and strategically assessing potential solutions, becomes more central. Often, only a slight adjustment to a project is required in order for data to be collected that is of direct value to a reef manager.Partnerships built between scientists and managers engaged in adaptive management efforts may lead to more rapid progress in managing reefs and may banish the science and management dichotomy once and for all.     

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。     

Variation in the Social Systems of Extant Hominoids: Comparative Insight into the Social Behavior of Early Hominins

The observed social systems of extant apes and humans suggest that the common ancestral state for Miocene hominoids was living in multimale–multifemale groups that exhibited a tendency to fission and fusion in response to ecological and/or social variables. The Hominoidea share a set of social commonalities, notably a social niche that extends beyond kin and beyond the immediate social group, as well as extensive intraspecific flexibility in social organization. We propose that an essential feature of hominoid evolution is the shift from limited plasticity in a generalized social ape to expanded behavioral plasticity as an adaptive niche. Whereas in most nonhominoid primates variability and flexibility take the shape of specific patterns of demographic flux and interindividual relationships, we can consider behavioral flexibility and plasticity as a means to an end in hominoid socioecological landscapes. In addition, the potential for innovation, spread, and inheritance of behavioral patterns and social traditions is much higher in the hominoids, especially the great apes, than in other anthropoid primates. We further suggest that this pattern forms a basis for the substantial expansion of social complexity and adaptive behavioral plasticity in the hominins, especially the genus Homo. Our objectives in this article are threefold: 1) summarize the variation in the social systems of extant hominoid taxa; 2) consider the evolutionary processes underlying these variations; and 3) expand upon the traditional socioecological model, especially with respect to reconstructions of early hominin social behavior. We emphasize a central role for both ecological and social niche construction, as well as behavioral plasticity, as basal hominoid characteristics. Over evolutionary time these characteristics influence the patterns of selection pressures and the resulting social structures. We propose that a mosaic of ecological and social inheritance patterns should be considered in the reconstruction of early hominin social systems.     

Late Triassic reefs from the Northwest and South Tethys: distribution, setting, and biotic composition

The paleolatitudinal distribution patterns during Ladinian and Carnian time are characterized by an increasing expansion of reefs from the northern to the southern hemisphere. The optimum of reef diversity and frequency in the Norian is associated with the development of extended attached or isolated carbonate platforms. Norian-Rhaetian sponge and coral reefs of the Northern Calcareous Alps developed (1) as reef belt composed of patch reefs in platform-edge positions facing the open-marine northwestern Tethys basins and (2) as patch reefs in intraplatform basins as well as in ramp positions.Carnian and Norian-Rhaetian sponge and coral reefs of the Arabian Peninsula are formed (1) as reef complexes at the margins of carbonate platforms on the tops of volcanic seamounts in the southern Tethyan ocean, as small biostromes on these isolated platforms, and (2) as transgressive reef complexes on the attached platform of the Gondwana margin. The Norian Gosaukamm reefal breccia of the NW Tethys is a counterpart of Jabal Wasa reefal limestone of the Gondwana margin with similarities in geological setting and biotic composition. Rhaetian coral biostromes of low diversity known from the Austrian Koessen basin resemble to the time equivalent Ala biostromes of the isolated Kawr platform in the southern Neo-Tethys by forming a discontinuous layer in shallow intraplatform basin setting.     

泥质对志留系礁滩生长的抑制作用:黔北桐梓韩家店组的例证

黔北桐梓的戴家沟剖面和狮溪剖面志留系兰多维列统特列奇阶下部的韩家店组出露完好,该组泥岩、粉砂岩中夹有厚度1—3m、直径4—7m的小型点礁。礁核相多具典型的障积格架岩特征,但生长时限短暂,群落分异度低,仅见床板珊瑚、单体四射珊瑚、苔藓虫和海百合茎,礁间为珊瑚、苔藓虫和海百合茎碎片堆积的滩相,伴生丰富的遗迹化石。在陆源碎屑快速沉积的背景下,浑浊海水频繁的富营养化过程限制了礁体纵横向生长和朝高分异度群落发展的可能性。     

Best practices for improved governance of coral reef marine protected areas

Coral reef marine protected areas (MPA) are widely distributed around the globe for social and ecological reasons. Relatively few of these MPAs are well managed. This review examines the governance of coral reef MPAs and the means to improve coral reef MPA management. It highlights common governance challenges, such as confused goals, conflict, and unrealistic attempts to scale up beyond institutional capacity. Recommendations, based on field experience and empirical evidence from around the world, are made for best practices at various stages of MPA implementation.

Gestural communication in young gorillas (Gorilla gorilla): gestural repertoire,learning, and use

In the present study we investigated the gestural communication of gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). The subjects were 13 gorillas (1-6 years old) living in two different groups in captivity. Our goal was to compile the gestural repertoire of subadult gorillas, with a special focus on processes of social cognition, including attention to individual and developmental variability, group variability, and flexibility of use. Thirty-three different gestures (six auditory, 11 tactile, and 16 visual gestures) were recorded. We found idiosyncratic gestures, individual differences, and similar degrees of concordance between and within groups, as well as some group-specific gestures. These results provide evidence that ontogenetic ritualization is the main learning process involved, but some form of social learning may also be responsible for the acquisition of special gestures. The present study establishes that gorillas have a multifaceted gestural repertoire, characterized by a great deal of flexibility with accommodations to various communicative circumstances, including the attentional state of the recipient. The possibility of assigning Seyfarth and Cheney's [1997] model for nonhuman primate vocal development to the development of nonhuman primate gestural communication is discussed.     

The aftermath of coral bleaching on a Maldivian reef—a quantitative study

Since the bleaching event of 1998, the development of the reef flat and upper reef slope on a Maldivian reef (the Komandoo house reef; Komandoo Island, Lhaviyani atoll or Fadiffolu atoll) is under detailed observation. We quantitatively recorded specific losses, re-colonisation by coral larvae on transects on the reef flat and on dead Acropora tables at the reef slope and regeneration of partly damaged large Porites and Diploastrea—colonies over the period from 1999 to 2004. The detrimental effects on the reef structure by bioerosion and hydrodynamics, as well as the overall status of the reef community were qualitatively assessed. Recruitment soon after the bleaching was more pronounced than in the following years, Pavona varians being a main constituent. The temporal re-colonisation pattern points at an emergency spawning of local Scleractinia just prior to the bleaching, whereas a sharp decrease of young settlers in 2001 and 2002 confirms a reduction of fertile colonies. The dominant species in the coral community shifted from acroporids and pocilloporids to agariciids. The skeletal deposition of recovering Diploastrea heliopora was equivalent to that before the bleaching, but much less than that of neighbouring Porites lobata colonies. The slow and scattered formation of new reef substance, which would structurally strengthen the reef, is however outweighed by the collapse of dead protruding and spacious colonies (e.g., Acropora tables). Six years after the bleaching, the formerly three-dimensional structure of the reef flat and upper reef slope presents as a levelled field of rubble, only partly consolidated by incrusting corals. Considering the recurrence of bleaching events (1987, 1998) and the results of the present study, one may assume a cascading deterioration of the status of the reef for the future.     

Spatial scales of bacterial diversity in cold-water coral reef ecosystems

Background

Cold-water coral reef ecosystems are recognized as biodiversity hotspots in the deep sea, but insights into their associated bacterial communities are still limited. Deciphering principle patterns of bacterial community variation over multiple spatial scales may however prove critical for a better understanding of factors contributing to cold-water coral reef stability and functioning.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Bacterial community structure, as determined by Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA), was investigated with respect to (i) microbial habitat type and (ii) coral species and color, as well as the three spatial components (iii) geomorphologic reef zoning, (iv) reef boundary, and (v) reef location. Communities revealed fundamental differences between coral-generated (branch surface, mucus) and ambient microbial habitats (seawater, sediments). This habitat specificity appeared pivotal for determining bacterial community shifts over all other study levels investigated. Coral-derived surfaces showed species-specific patterns, differing significantly between Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata, but not between L. pertusa color types. Within the reef center, no community distinction corresponded to geomorphologic reef zoning for both coral-generated and ambient microbial habitats. Beyond the reef center, however, bacterial communities varied considerably from local to regional scales, with marked shifts toward the reef periphery as well as between different in- and offshore reef sites, suggesting significant biogeographic imprinting but weak microbe-host specificity.

Conclusions/Significance

This study presents the first multi-scale survey of bacterial diversity in cold-water coral reefs, spanning a total of five observational levels including three spatial scales. It demonstrates that bacterial communities in cold-water coral reefs are structured by multiple factors acting at different spatial scales, which has fundamental implications for the monitoring of microbial diversity and function in those ecosystems.     

Origin and occurrence of sexual and mating systems in Crustacea: A progression towards communal living and eusociality

Crustaceans are known for their unrivalled diversity of sexual systems, as well as peculiar mating associations to achieve maximum mating success and fertilization accomplishment. Although sexes are separate in most species, various types of hermaphroditism characterize these predominantly aquatic arthropods. A low operational sex ratio between female and male, together with temporally limited receptivity of females towards males, imposes restrictions on the structuring of mating systems in crustaceans. The basic mating systems consist of monogamy, polygamy, mate guarding and pure searching. Understandably, ecological influences may also play a determinative role in the evolution of such sexual and mating systems in crustaceans. An important outcome of the crustacean sexual biology is the development of complex social structures in many aquatic species, in much the same way insects have established them in terrestrial conditions. In addition, groups like isopods and certain families of brachyuran crabs have shown terrestrial adaptation, exhibiting peculiar reproductive modes, sometimes reminiscent of their terrestrial counterparts, insects. Many caridean shrimps, living in symbiotic relationship with other marine invertebrates in the coral reef habitats, have reached pinnacle of complexity in sexuality and peculiar mating behaviours, resulting in communal living and establishing advanced social systems, such as eusociality.     

Spatial pattern of coral diversity in Luhuitou fringing reef, Sanya, China

84 quadrats from 5 vertical transects of Luhuitou fringing reef are investigated in detail by using video-quadrat and indoor-interpretation methods. The results show that (1) the reef consists of 69 species of hermatypic corals belonging to 24 genera and 13 families which are unevenly distributed in abundance. (2) Among all the corals, Porites lutea is the most dominant species with importance value percentage up to 36.62%; Porites and Acropora are dominant genera with importance value percentages 43.85% and 22.88%, respectively. (3) There exist distinct spatial differences in coral communities. Both the coral covers and coral diversity indices on the northeastern transects are higher than those on the central and southern transects. (4) Coral communities also show remarkable zonal characteristics with less coral species occurring on reef flat than on reef slope. The importance value percentage of the sole dominant coral genus, Porites, is over 50%, while on the reef slope, the importance value percentages are 28.33% for the first dominant genus Acropora and 26.71% for the second dominant genus Porites. Our further analysis suggests that the spatial and zonal differences of coral diversity pattern are correlated with both natural environmental changes and human activities. The shallow water reef flat is frequently exposed at low tide and it receives more anthropogenic influences (including dredging and trampling) than the deep water reef slope. Thus, the coral community on the reef flat is not as well developed as that on reef slope. The relatively poor coral covers and coral diversity indices on the central and southern transects are closely related to heavy human activities around these sites such as aquaculture, fishing and coastal sewage drainage. Therefore, the impact of human activities must be taken into account in developing strategies for the protection of this coral reef.     

Upper Permian coral reef and colonial rugose corals in northwest Hunan, South China

Summary The roles of Permian colonial corals in forming organic reefs have not been adequately assessed, although they are common fossils in the Permian strata. It is now known that colonial corals were important contributors to reef framework during the middle and late Permian such as those in South China, northeast Japan, Oman and Thailand. A coral reef occurs in Kanjia-ping, Cili County, Hunan, South China. It is formed by erect and unscathed colonies ofWaagenophyllum growing on top of one anotherin situ to form a baffle and framework. Paleontological data of the Cili coral reef indicates a middle to late Changhsing age (Late Permian), corresponding to thePalaeofusulina zone. The coral reef exposure extends along the inner platform margin striking in E-S direction for nearly 4 km laterally and generally 35 to 57 m thick. The Cili coral reef exhibits a lateral differentiation into three main reef facies; reef core facies, fore-reef facies, and marginal slope facies. The major reef-core facies is well exposed in Shenxian-wan and Guanyin-an sections where it rests on the marginal slope facies. Colonial corals are dispersed and preserved in non-living position easward. Sponges become major stabilizing organisms in the eastern part of Changhsing limestone outcrop in Kanjia-ping, but no read sponge reefs were formed. Coral reefs at Cili County in Human are different distinctly from calcisponge reefs in South China in their palaeogeography, lithofacies development, organic constitutuents, palaeoecology and diagenesis. The Cili coral reef also shows differences in age, depositional facies association, reef organisms and diagenesis from coral reefs in South Kitakami of Japan, Khorat Plateau of Thailand, and Saih Hatat of Oman. Although some sponge reefs and mounds can reach up to the unconformable Permian/Triassic boundary, coral reef at Kanjia-ping, Cili County, is the latest Permian reef known. This reef appears to had been formed in a palaeoenvironment that is different from that of the sponge reefs and provides an example of new and unique Permian reef type in South China, and could help us to: 1) understand the significance of colonial corals in Permian carbonate buildups; 2) evaluate the importance of coral community evolution prior to the collapse of reef ecosystems at the Permian/Triassic boundary; 3) better understand the effects of the biotic extinction events in Palaeotethys realm; 4) look for environmental factors that may have controlled reefs through time and space, and 5) provide valuable data for the study of Permian palaeoclimate and global evolutionary changes of Permian reefs and reef community.     

Site fidelity and homing in tropical coral reef cardinalfish: are they using olfactory cues?

A number of tropical coral reef fish hold station and display restricted home ranges. If artificially displaced, they will return to their home site. We questioned if marine fish are using the same mechanisms for home site detection as many freshwater fish, that is, by olfactory sensing of chemical signals deposited on the substrate by conspecific fish. Behavioral experiments were conducted on Lizard Island Research Station, Queensland, Australia, in 2001 and 2002. Five-lined cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus) were tested in groups with split-branded cardinalfish (Apogon compressus) as a reference species and individually against Apogon leptacanthus as well as conspecifics of another reef site. The group tests showed that both species preferred artificial reef sites that had previously been occupied by conspecifics. Individual C. quinquelineatus preferred scent of conspecifics from their own reef site to that from another site. They also preferred the scent released by artificial reefs previously occupied by conspecifics of their reef site to that of similar reefs previously occupied by conspecifics of another reef site. No discrimination between species from the same reef site was obtained in experiments with individual fish. Our data suggest that cardinalfish are keeping station and are homing by use of conspecific olfactory signals.     

Spatial pattern of coral diversity in Luhuitou fringing reef, Sanya, China

84 quadrats from 5 vertical transects of Luhuitou fringing reef are investigated in detail by using video-quadrat and indoor-interpretation methods. The results show that (1) the reef consists of 69 species of hermatypic corals belonging to 24 genera and 13 families which are unevenly distributed in abundance. (2) Among all the corals, Porites lutea is the most dominant species with importance value percentage up to 36.62%; Porites and Acropora are dominant genera with importance value percentages 43.85% and 22.88%, respectively. (3) There exist distinct spatial differences in coral communities. Both the coral covers and coral diversity indices on the northeastern transects are higher than those on the central and southern transects. (4) Coral communities also show remarkable zonal characteristics with less coral species occurring on reef flat than on reef slope. The importance value percentage of the sole dominant coral genus, Porites, is over 50%, while on the reef slope, the importance value percentages are 28.33% for the first dominant genus Acropora and 26.71% for the second dominant genus Porites. Our further analysis suggests that the spatial and zonal differences of coral diversity pattern are correlated with both natural environmental changes and human activities. The shallow water reef flat is frequently exposed at low tide and it receives more anthropogenic influences (including dredging and trampling) than the deep water reef slope. Thus, the coral community on the reef flat is not as well developed as that on reef slope. The relatively poor coral covers and coral diversity indices on the central and southern transects are closely related to heavy human activities around these sites such as aquaculture, fishing and coastal sewage drainage. Therefore, the impact of human activities must be taken into account in developing strategies for the protection of this coral reef.     

Mangrove Habitat Use by Juvenile Reef Fish: Meta-Analysis Reveals that Tidal Regime Matters More than Biogeographic Region

Identification of critical life-stage habitats is key to successful conservation efforts. Juveniles of some species show great flexibility in habitat use while other species rely heavily on a restricted number of juvenile habitats for protection and food. Considering the rapid degradation of coastal marine habitats worldwide, it is important to evaluate which species are more susceptible to loss of juvenile nursery habitats and how this differs across large biogeographic regions. Here we used a meta-analysis approach to investigate habitat use by juvenile reef fish species in tropical coastal ecosystems across the globe. Densities of juvenile fish species were compared among mangrove, seagrass and coral reef habitats. In the Caribbean, the majority of species showed significantly higher juvenile densities in mangroves as compared to seagrass beds and coral reefs, while for the Indo-Pacific region seagrass beds harbored the highest overall densities. Further analysis indicated that differences in tidal amplitude, irrespective of biogeographic region, appeared to be the major driver for this phenomenon. In addition, juvenile reef fish use of mangroves increased with increasing water salinity. In the Caribbean, species of specific families (e.g. Lutjanidae, Haemulidae) showed a higher reliance on mangroves or seagrass beds as juvenile habitats than other species, whereas in the Indo-Pacific family-specific trends of juvenile habitat utilization were less apparent. The findings of this study highlight the importance of incorporating region-specific tidal inundation regimes into marine spatial conservation planning and ecosystem based management. Furthermore, the significant role of water salinity and tidal access as drivers of mangrove fish habitat use implies that changes in seawater level and rainfall due to climate change may have important effects on how juvenile reef fish use nearshore seascapes in the future.     

Current and future sustainability of island coral reef fisheries

Overexploitation is one of the principal threats to coral reef diversity, structure, function, and resilience [1, 2]. Although it is generally held that coral reef fisheries are unsustainable [3-5], little is known of the overall scale of exploitation or which reefs are overfished [6]. Here, on the basis of ecological footprints and a review of exploitation status [7, 8], we report widespread unsustainability of island coral reef fisheries. Over half (55%) of the 49 island countries considered are exploiting their coral reef fisheries in an unsustainable way. We estimate that total landings of coral reef fisheries are currently 64% higher than can be sustained. Consequently, the area of coral reef appropriated by fisheries exceeds the available effective area by approximately 75,000 km(2), or 3.7 times the area of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, and an extra 196,000 km(2) of coral reef may be required by 2050 to support the anticipated growth in human populations. The large overall imbalance between current and sustainable catches implies that management methods to reduce social and economic dependence on reef fisheries are essential to prevent the collapse of coral reef ecosystems while sustaining the well-being of burgeoning coastal populations.     

珊瑚礁生态系统服务及其价值评估

珊瑚礁生态系统以其极高的生物多样性和美丽的水下景观而被人类过度利用,为了有效地管理和可持续利用珊瑚礁,对其生态系统服务及价值的评估就显得十分重要。本文介绍了珊瑚礁生态系统服务及其价值。以及评估方法的研究动态。珊瑚礁生态系统服务是指珊瑚礁生态系统与生态过程所形成及维持的人类赖以生存的自然环境条件与其效用,珊瑚礁生态系统服务分为经济性服务、生态性服务和社会性服务3部分,给出相应于珊瑚礁生态系统服务内容的价值分类以及常用的生产效益法、替代费用法、损害费用法、旅行费用法和条件价值法5种评估方法。文中还介绍了中国珊瑚礁的分布与特点,并根据国内珊瑚礁生态系统的状况,指出了中国开展珊瑚礁生态系统服务及其价值评估的迫切性。     

The ecology,behaviour and physiology of fishes on coral reef flats,and the potential impacts of climate change

Reef flats, typically a low‐relief carbonate and sand habitat in shallow water leeward of the reef crest, are one of the most extensive zones on Pacific coral reefs. This shallow zone often supports an abundant and diverse fish assemblage that is exposed to more significant variations in physical factors, such as water depth and movement, temperature and ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels, than most other reef fishes. This review examines the characteristics of reef flat fish assemblages, and then investigates what is known about how they respond to their biophysical environment. Because of the challenges of living in shallow, wave‐exposed water, reef flats typically support a distinct fish assemblage compared to other reef habitats. This assemblage clearly changes across tidal cycles as some larger species migrate to deeper water at low tide and other species modify their behaviour, but quantitative data are generally lacking. At least some reef flat fish species are well‐adapted to high temperatures, low oxygen concentrations and high levels of UV radiation. These behavioural and physiological adaptations suggest that there may be differences in the demographic processes between reef flat assemblages and those in deeper water. Indeed, there is some evidence that reef flats may act as nurseries for some species, but more research is required. Further studies are also required to predict the effects of climate change, which is likely to have multifaceted impacts on reef flats by increasing temperature, water motion and sediment load. Sea‐level rise may also affect reef flat fish assemblages and food webs by increasing the amount of time that larger species are able to forage in this zone. The lack of data on reef flats is surprising given their size and relative ease of access, and a better understanding of their functional role within tropical marine seascapes is urgently required.