我国南海珊瑚敌害生物长棘海星的种群遗传结构及暴发原因分析

长棘海星周期性暴发引起的毁灭性摄食是导致珊瑚覆盖率下降和珊瑚礁生态系统衰退的重要原因之一。我国南海珊瑚礁区自2004年开始出现大量长棘海星，2009年第一次全面暴发后逐渐减少；2018年再次出现大量长棘海星，并且近期正处于严重的暴发状态。虽然国际上关于长棘海星的研究历史悠久，但是其暴发原因仍然存在极大争议。本研究拟利用简化基因组测序技术获得的单核苷酸多态位点分析我国南海长棘海星的种群遗传结构和基因流，并结合高通量测序和海流数据分析长棘海星浮游幼体的扩散模式，从而揭示我国南海长棘海星种群的来源及扩散过程；通过调查区域生物及环境因子与长棘海星的相关性等统计分析，阐明影响长棘海星种群遗传结构的主要因素，初步揭示我国南海珊瑚敌害生物长棘海星种群暴发和扩散的潜在原因。研究结果可为长棘海星的有效管理和防控提供基础数据和理论依据，提升我国在长棘海星暴发方面预警能力，并为珊瑚礁生态系统的健康和安全提供保障

The destructive ingestion caused by the periodic outbreak of Crown-of-Thorns-Seastar (CoTS) is one of the important reasons for the decline of coral coverage as well as the deterioration of coral reef ecosystem. Lots of CoTSs appeared in coral reef areas of South China Sea since 2004, it tapered off after the first full-blown outbreak in 2009; Since 2018, a large number of CoTSs have appeared again in the coral reef areas of South China Sea and it was still in serious outbreak state recently. Although there was a long history of international research on CoTS, the cause of its outbreak remains highly controversial. In this study, SNP molecular markers obtained by RAD-seq will be used to analyze the population genetic structure and gene flow of CoTS in the South China Sea, and the diffusion pattern of planktonic larvae of CoTS will be analyzed by NGS combined with the ocean current data to reveal the source and diffusion process of CoTS. Statistical analysis of the correlation between CoTS and biological as well as environmental factors will be conducted to clarify the factors affecting the genetic structure of CoTS, and then reveal the potential reasons for the outbreak and spread of the population of CoTS in the South China Sea. Our results will provide basic data and theoretical basis for the effective management and prevention of CoTS, and will improve the early warning ability of the outbreak disaster of CoTS and ensure the health and safety of coral reef ecosystem in China.