Coral Reef Algae
Coral Reef Algae
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DOI：
10.1007/978-94-007-0114-4_17
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发表时间：
2011-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Paul, Valerie J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Fong, Peggy;Paul, Valerie J.
底栖大型藻类或“海藻”是珊瑚礁群落的关键成员，提供重要的生态功能，如稳定珊瑚礁结构、生产热带沙子、养分保持和循环、初级生产和营养支持。大型藻类的多样性，丰富性和形态形式的惊人范围提供了这些同样多样化的生态功能。海洋大型藻类是一个功能而不是系统发育的群体，由两个王国和至少四个主要门的成员组成。从结构上看，珊瑚礁大型藻类的范围从简单的原核细胞链到直立的藤蔓状岩藻，其复杂的内部结构类似于维管植物。有大量的证据表明，珊瑚礁藻类群落的历史状态是由结壳和草皮形成的大型藻类占主导地位，但在过去的几十年里，直立和更肉质的大型藻类在珊瑚礁的所有地区和区域都以越来越高的频率和丰度激增。维持这些转变的生态过程，从珊瑚到藻类为主的热带珊瑚礁包括开放的合适的基板增加，由于珊瑚死亡率，人为增加营养供应，减少食草动物由于疾病和过度捕捞，和藻类的扩散与化学防御对食草动物。由于入侵物种和气候变化的影响，这些变化可能会加速，藻类的状态可能会稳定下来。因此，藻类占主导地位的热带珊瑚礁可能代表替代稳定状态，由于稳定藻类状态的生态过程的强度和持久性，这些稳定状态抵抗珊瑚统治的转变。
Benthic macroalgae, or "seaweeds," are key members of coral reef communities that provide vital ecological functions such as stabilization of reef structure, production of tropical sands, nutrient retention and recycling, primary production, and trophic support. Macroalgae of an astonishing range of diversity, abundance, and morphological form provide these equally diverse ecological functions. Marine macroalgae are a functional rather than phylogenetic group comprised of members from two Kingdoms and at least four major Phyla. Structurally, coral reef macroalgae range from simple chains of prokaryotic cells to upright vine-like rockweeds with complex internal structures analogous to vascular plants. There is abundant evidence that the historical state of coral reef algal communities was dominance by encrusting and turf-forming macroalgae, yet over the last few decades upright and more fleshy macroalgae have proliferated across all areas and zones of reefs with increasing frequency and abundance. Ecological processes that sustain these shifts from coral- to algal-dominated tropical reefs include increases in open suitable substrate due to coral mortality, anthropogenic increases in nutrient supply, reductions in herbivory due to disease and overfishing, and the proliferation of algae with chemical defenses against herbivory. These shifts are likely to be accelerated and the algal state stabilized by the impacts of invasive species and climate change. Thus, algal-dominated tropical reefs may represent alternative stable states that are resistant to shifts back to coral domination due to the strength and persistence of ecological processes that stabilize the algal state.