Biodiversity Research Center/Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP), Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei, Taiwan.
PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e44364. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044364. Epub 2012 Aug 30.
Recurrent disturbances can have a critical effect on the structure and function of coral reef communities. In this study, long-term changes were examined in the hard coral community at Wanlitung, in southern Taiwan, between 1985 and 2010. In this 26 year interval, the reef has experienced repeated disturbances that include six typhoons and two coral-bleaching events. The frequency of disturbance has meant that species susceptible to disturbance, such as those in the genus Acropora and Montipora have almost disappeared from the reef. Indeed, almost all hard coral species have declined in abundance, with the result that total hard coral cover in 2010 (17.7%) was less than half what it was in 1985 (47.5%). In addition, macro-algal cover has increased from 11.3% in 2003 to 28.5% in 2010. The frequency of disturbance combined with possible chronic influence of a growing human population mean that a diverse reef assemblage is unlikely to persist on this reef into the future.
周期性的干扰会对珊瑚礁群落的结构和功能产生严重影响。本研究对台湾南部万里桐硬珊瑚群落 1985 年至 2010 年间的长期变化进行了调查。在这 26 年的时间里，该珊瑚礁经历了多次干扰，包括六次台风和两次珊瑚白化事件。由于干扰的频繁发生，一些易受干扰的物种，如 Acropora 和 Montipora 属的物种，几乎从珊瑚礁中消失。事实上，几乎所有的硬珊瑚物种的丰度都有所下降，结果是 2010 年的硬珊瑚总覆盖率（17.7%）不到 1985 年的一半（47.5%）。此外，大型藻类的覆盖率从 2003 年的 11.3%增加到 2010 年的 28.5%。干扰的频率加上不断增长的人类活动的潜在慢性影响，意味着未来这片珊瑚礁不太可能维持多样化的珊瑚群落。
