Confronting the Changing Diversity Patterns of Coral Reefs

面对珊瑚礁不断变化的多样性模式

• 批准号: 2730459
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Lancaster University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2730459
• 关键词: Confronting; Changing; Diversity; Patterns; Coral

Coral reef ecosystems are in a state of change. Increasingly frequent and severe disturbances, and escalation of human interactions, are transforming many tropical coral reefs. At the same time, species are extending their ranges toward higher latitudes at remarkable pace, with tropical species encroaching temperate rocky reef environments. Despite these changes to the organisation of these critical ecosystems, we still rely on classic ecological theories of diversity patterns that were developed in more stable conditions. These theories focus on biophysical processes, yet environmental extremes (e.g. heat waves) and social factors (e.g. distance to markets) have come to dominate ecological communities on many of the world's coastlines. This project will test if latitudinal diversity gradients are changing on coastal reef ecosystems, with major implications for ecology and conservation. Classic ecological theories will be confronted with contemporary diversity patterns, and new theories of diversity patterns will be developed that incorporate social and environmental variables. By tackling the topic using a multidisciplinary approach, the project aims to better capture ecological organisation on contemporary coral reefs. The PhD will provide training in independent thinking, field techniques, statistical modelling, social-ecological systems thinking, and scientific writing. With supervisory and project support at Lancaster University and Bangor University, UK, and James Cook University, Australia, the project offers unique opportunities for research and training in coral reef science

珊瑚礁生态系统正处于变化之中。日益频繁和严重的干扰，以及人类互动的升级，正在改变许多热带珊瑚礁。与此同时，物种正以惊人的速度向高纬度地区扩展，热带物种正在侵蚀温带岩礁环境。尽管这些关键生态系统的组织发生了这些变化，但我们仍然依赖于在更稳定的条件下发展起来的多样性模式的经典生态理论。这些理论侧重于生物物理过程，但极端环境（如热浪）和社会因素（如距离市场）已开始主导世界许多海岸线上的生态群落。该项目将测试纬度多样性梯度是否正在改变沿海珊瑚礁生态系统，对生态和保护产生重大影响。经典的生态理论将面临当代多样性模式，并将发展新的多样性模式理论，包括社会和环境变量。通过使用多学科方法解决这个问题，该项目旨在更好地捕捉当代珊瑚礁的生态组织。博士将提供独立思考，现场技术，统计建模，社会生态系统思维和科学写作的培训。在英国兰开斯特大学和班戈尔大学以及澳大利亚詹姆斯库克大学的监督和项目支持下，该项目为珊瑚礁科学的研究和培训提供了独特的机会