Flow speed on the north shore of Moorea, French from 2007 to 2021

Data Abstract:

These data describe bottom and surface flow speed on the north shore of Moorea from 2007 to 2021.

Results paper abstract, Edmunds et al. (2023) :
* [See "Related Datasets" section for access to related datasets discussed here]

Understanding population dynamics is a long-standing objective of ecology, but the need for progress in this area has become urgent. For coral reefs, achieving this objective is impeded by a lack of information on settlement versus post-settlement events in determining recruitment and population size. Declines in coral abundance are often inferred to be associated with reduced densities of recruits, which could arise from mechanisms occurring at larval settlement, or throughout post-settlement stages. This study uses annual measurements from 2008 to 2021 of coral cover, the density of coral settlers (S), the density of small corals (SC), and environmental conditions, to evaluate the roles of settlement versus post-settlement events in determining rates of coral recruitment and changes in coral cover at Moorea, French Polynesia. Coral cover, S, SC, and the SC:S ratio (a proxy for post-settlement success), and environmental conditions, were used in generalized additive models (GAMs) to show that: (a) coral cover was more strongly related to SC and SC:S than S, and (b) SC:S was highest when preceded by cool seawater, low concentrations of Chlorophyll a, and low flow speeds, and S showed evidence of declining with elevated temperature. Together, these results suggest that changes in coral cover in Moorea are more strongly influenced by post-settlement events than settlement. The key to understanding coral community resilience may lie in elucidating the factors attenuating the bottleneck between settlers and small corals.

数据摘要：

本数据集记录了2007年至2021年期间莫雷阿岛北岸的底层与表层水流流速数据。

研究论文摘要（Edmunds等人，2023年）：
* 如需获取本文提及的相关数据集，请参阅"相关数据集"章节

种群动态解析是生态学领域长期以来的核心研究目标之一，而推动该领域取得进展的需求已愈发迫切。对于珊瑚礁生态系统而言，明确幼体定居与定居后过程对珊瑚补充量及种群规模的相对贡献，却因相关数据的缺失而难以推进。

珊瑚丰度的下降通常被认为与补充个体密度降低相关，而这一现象可能源于幼体定居阶段的调控机制，或是贯穿定居后整个阶段的各类过程。

本研究基于法属波利尼西亚莫雷阿岛2008年至2021年的年度监测数据，包括珊瑚盖度、珊瑚定居幼体密度（记为S）、小型珊瑚密度（记为SC）以及环境因子，旨在解析定居过程与定居后过程对珊瑚补充速率及珊瑚盖度变化的相对作用。

研究团队将珊瑚盖度、S、SC以及SC:S比值（作为定居后存活率的替代指标）与环境因子一同纳入广义加性模型（generalized additive models, GAMs）分析，结果显示：（1）珊瑚盖度与SC及SC:S比值的相关性显著强于其与S的相关性；（2）当此前存在低温海水、低叶绿素a浓度与低水流流速的环境条件时，SC:S比值达到最高；同时S随水温升高呈现下降趋势。

综合上述结果可知，莫雷阿岛珊瑚盖度的变化受定居后过程的影响显著强于定居过程。解析珊瑚群落恢复力的关键，或在于阐明能够缓解定居幼体与小型珊瑚之间生存瓶颈的调控因子。