Science. 1994 Sep 9;265(5178):1547-51. doi: 10.1126/science.265.5178.1547.
Many coral reefs have been degraded over the past two to three decades through a combination of human and natural disturbances. In Jamaica, the effects of overfishing, hurricane damage, and disease have combined to destroy most corals, whose abundance has declined from more than 50 percent in the late 1970s to less than 5 percent today. A dramatic phase shift has occurred, producing a system dominated by fleshy macroalgae (more than 90 percent cover). Immediate implementation of management procedures is necessary to avoid further catastrophic damage.
在过去的二三十年里，由于人类和自然的双重干扰，许多珊瑚礁已经退化。在牙买加，过度捕捞、飓风破坏和疾病的影响结合在一起，摧毁了大多数珊瑚，其丰度已从 20 世纪 70 年代末的 50%以上降至如今的不到 5%。一个戏剧性的阶段转变已经发生，产生了一个以肉质大型藻类为主的系统（超过 90%的覆盖率）。必须立即实施管理程序，以避免进一步的灾难性破坏。
