珊瑚礁的"框架生物"造礁石珊瑚与共生藻互利共生对于维护珊瑚礁生态系统的持续发展至关重要。造礁石珊瑚在早期发育阶段能否选定合适类型的共生藻并与之成功的建立共生体系，是决定造礁石珊瑚幼体补充恢复和珊瑚礁持续发展的关键之一。本项目拟运用组织学方法，结合分子生物学技术，通过深入研究三种造礁石珊瑚早期发育阶段共生藻的多样性，以及共生体系的建立过程，以揭示造礁石珊瑚关键发育阶段共生建立的组织学特征，并系统探讨造礁石珊瑚与共生藻的共生专一性及其影响因素，进而为研究造礁石珊瑚与共生藻共生的相关机制与功能提供参考与支撑。研究成果将深化对共生在造礁石珊瑚幼体补充恢复中重要性的认识，不仅对于预估造礁石珊瑚在未来全球变化下的幼体补充恢复力具重要意义，对珊瑚礁保护区的科学设计与有效管理也具有指导价值。

The continued development and maintenance of coral reefs is underpinned by the symbiosis between reef-building corals and unicellular dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium. The appropriate type of symbiotic algae selected and success of establishing symbiosis in the early development of scleractinian corals is essential for coral recruitment and the resilience of coral reefs. This project will use an innovative combination of histology and molecular biology techniques to analyse the details of symbiosis establishment and symbiont diversity during the early development of three scleractinian coral species. The histological characters of establishing symbiosis during key stages of scleractinian coral development and the specificity of symbiosis with its impact factors will be discussed,and further provide greater knowledge on mechanism and function of symbiosis between Symbiodinum and scleractinian coral. The proposed research will significantly contribute to our basic understanding the key role of symbiosis in reef coral recruitment. Not only have meaningful implications for evaluation of recruitment and restoration of reef-coral juveniles under future global change, but also have benefits for scientific designation and effective management in coral reef protected areas.