珊瑚礁生态系统中珊瑚藻的生态作用研究进展

Current state of ecological functions of coralline algae in coral reef ecosystem

珊瑚藻是海洋红藻中的大型钙化藻类,全球分布623种,中国现有记录共77种。随着生态科学研究的广泛展开,人们越来越认识到,珊瑚藻在海洋生态系统中,尤其在维持珊瑚礁生态系统的生物多样性及生态功能中发挥着重要作用。目前,科研人员对有关珊瑚藻的初级生产力、钙化作用以及在诱导底栖无脊椎动物幼虫的附着与变态等方面已有多方面的研究和探索。然而,有关珊瑚藻生态功能的深层次机理问题有待进一步深入研究。文章着重围绕目前珊瑚藻研究中的一些热点问题,从近年来珊瑚藻在珊瑚礁生态系统中的生态功能方面的研究概况进行综述,以期加深人们对珊瑚藻的认识,并促进对珊瑚藻生态功能的进一步深入研究。

Coralline algae are the marine red calcified macroalgae with 623 species distributing in the world,including a record of 77 species in China.They serve key roles for maintaining the biodiversity and ecological functions in the marine ecosystem,especially in coral reef ecosystem.They possess high primary production,and their calcification can form complex three-dimensional structure which provides a good feeding and biological habitat for reef-associated organisms.The special surface they form can induce the settlement and metamorphosis of many benthic invertebrate larvae in the reef.And their calcification is an important composition of coral reef deposition.Coralline algae,however,contribute greatly to coral reef ecosystem in all aspects,while some mechanisms need to be further studied.This article focuses on some hot issues in the recent study of coralline algae,and reviews the current research state of the ecological function of coralline algae in coral reef ecosystems,in the hope of deepening our understanding in coralline algae and promoting further study on the ecological functions of coralline algae.