Effects of the 1982-83 El Nino Event on Tropical Eastern Pacific Coral Reefs: Disturbances, Causes, Recovery and Retrospective Analyses

这项长期研究的重点是1982-83年历史上前所未有的严重ENSO（厄尔尼诺-南方涛动）事件对东太平洋珊瑚礁的生态干扰。在研究的第一个3年阶段（1985-87年）中，在长期的海洋变暖和许多种类的原始扰动之间建立了很强的因果关系。在第一个和第二个3年（1988- 1990）研究期间，参与这项研究的工作人员团队(a)证明了几个次要（长期）干扰过程的重要性，(b)揭示了迄今为止珊瑚礁恢复和持续破坏的程度，(c)提供了历史背景下严重厄尔尼诺现象对珊瑚礁干扰频率的一些指示。由于一些重要的次生干扰仍在发生，珊瑚礁恢复缓慢（哥斯达黎加，巴拿马）或不存在（加拉帕戈斯群岛），因此有必要继续进行这项研究，以了解所涉及的各种变化和重大干扰对珊瑚礁生存的全面影响以及继续形成珊瑚礁的潜力。如果全球变暖导致重复和/或持续的海洋温度升高，与1982-83年厄尔尼诺事件类似，ENSO变暖干扰可以为全球珊瑚礁可能的变化提供一些线索。

This long-term study focuses on the ecological disturbances to eastern Pacific coral reefs that accompanied the severe and historically unprecedented 1982-83 ENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation) event. During the first 3-year segment (1985-87) of the study a strong causative link was established between prolonged sea warming and numerous kinds of primary disturbances. During the first and second 3-year (1988-90) study periods the team of workers involved in this study have (a) demonstrated the importance of several secondary (long-term) disturbance processes, (b) revealed the extent of recovery and continuing reef destruction to date, and (c) provided some indication of the frequency of severe El Nino disturbances to coral reefs in an historical context. Because some important secondary disturbances are still occurring, and reef recovery has been slow (Costa Rica, Panama) or non-existent (Galapagos Islands), it is necessary to continue with this study in order to understand the variety of changes involved and the full impact of a major disturbance on coral reef survival and the potential for continued reef building. ENSO warming disturbances can provide some clues to the probable changes in coral reefs worldwide if global warming causes repeated and/or protracted sea temperature increases comparable to the 1982-83 El Nino event.