Department of BioMolecular Science, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA.
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA; School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
Trends Ecol Evol. 2024 Jun;39(6):585-598. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.011. Epub 2024 Feb 26.
The function and stability of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) have been extensively studied in recent years. These deep reefs are characterized by local physical processes, particularly the steep gradient in irradiance with increasing depth, and their impact on trophic resources. Mesophotic reefs exhibit distinct zonation patterns that segregate shallow reef biodiversity from ecologically unique deeper communities of endemic species. While mesophotic reefs are hypothesized as relatively stable refuges from anthropogenic stressors and a potential seed bank for degraded shallow reefs, these are site-specific features, if they occur at all. Mesophotic reefs are now known to be susceptible to many of the same stressors that are degrading shallow reefs, suggesting that they require their own specific conservation and management strategies.
近年来，对中层珊瑚生态系统（MCEs）的功能和稳定性进行了广泛研究。这些深海珊瑚礁的特点是局部物理过程，特别是随着深度的增加辐照度的急剧梯度，以及它们对营养资源的影响。中层珊瑚礁表现出明显的分区模式，将浅海珊瑚礁的生物多样性与具有独特生态的特有深海特有物种群落区分开来。虽然中层珊瑚礁被假设为相对稳定的避难所，免受人为压力和退化浅海珊瑚礁的潜在种子库，但这些都是特定地点的特征，如果存在的话。现在已知中层珊瑚礁容易受到许多与浅海珊瑚礁退化相同的压力，这表明它们需要自己特定的保护和管理策略。
