Moulding Alison L
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA.
Rev Biol Trop. 2005 May;53 Suppl 1:75-82.
This study examines scleractinian zooxanthellate coral recruitment patterns in the Florida Keys to determine if differences in density or community composition exist between regions. From July to September 2002, nine patch reefs, three in each of the upper, middle and lower Keys, were surveyed for coral recruits (colonies <5 cm in diameter) using randomly placed quadrats and transects. Coral recruits were enumerated, measured, and identified to genus. Fourteen genera of corals were observed across all sites and ranged from five to 13 per site. Densities ranged from 6.29 +/- 1.92 (mean +/- SE) to 39.08 +/- 4.53 recruits m(-2), and there were significant site and regional differences in recruit densities. The density of recruits in the upper Keys was significantly lower than in the middle and lower Keys. In addition, the upper Keys were less diverse and had a different recruit size-frequency distribution. The majority of recruits were non-massive scleractinian species that contribute relatively little to overall reef-building processes, a finding that is similar to previous studies. Fewer recruits of massive species were found in the upper Keys compared to the middle and lower Keys. The recruitment patterns of the reefs in the upper Keys could potentially hinder their ability to recover from stress and disturbances.
本研究调查了佛罗里达群岛石珊瑚目虫黄藻共生珊瑚的补充模式，以确定不同区域之间在密度或群落组成上是否存在差异。2002年7月至9月，在九个斑块礁进行了调查，上、中、下群岛各有三个，使用随机放置的样方和样带对珊瑚幼体（直径小于5厘米的群体）进行调查。对珊瑚幼体进行计数、测量并鉴定到属。在所有地点共观察到14个珊瑚属，每个地点的数量从5个到13个不等。密度范围为6.29±1.92（平均值±标准误）至39.08±4.53个幼体/平方米，幼体密度在地点和区域上存在显著差异。上群岛的幼体密度显著低于中、下群岛。此外，上群岛的多样性较低，幼体大小频率分布也不同。大多数幼体是非块状石珊瑚物种，对整个珊瑚礁建造过程的贡献相对较小，这一发现与之前的研究相似。与中、下群岛相比，上群岛发现的块状物种幼体较少。上群岛珊瑚礁的补充模式可能会阻碍它们从压力和干扰中恢复的能力。
