Larval dispersal patterns and connectivity of Acropora on Florida’s Coral Reef and its implications for restoration

Since the 1980s, populations of Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata have experienced severe declines due to disease and anthropogenic stressors; resulting in their listing as threatened, and their need for restoration. In this study, larval survival and competency data were collected and used to calibrate a very high-resolution hydrodynamic model (up to 100m) to determine the dispersal patterns of Acropora species along the Florida’s Coral Reef. The resulting connectivity matrices was incorporated into a metapopulation model to compare strategies for restoring Acropora populations. This study found that Florida’s Coral Reef was historically a well-connected system, and that spatially selective restoration may be able to stimulate natural recovery. Acropora larvae are predominantly transported northward along the Florida’s Coral Reef, however southward transport also occurs, driven by tides and baroclinic eddies. Local retention and self-recruitment processes were strong for a broadcast ..., ,

自20世纪80年代以来，轴孔珊瑚属（Acropora）的鹿角轴孔珊瑚（Acropora cervicornis）与棕榈轴孔珊瑚（Acropora palmata）的种群因病害与人为胁迫因子遭遇严重衰退，进而被列为受威胁物种，种群修复工作迫在眉睫。本研究采集了珊瑚幼虫存活率与定植能力数据，以此校准分辨率可达100米的超高分辨率水动力模型（hydrodynamic model），以明确轴孔珊瑚属物种在佛罗里达珊瑚礁海域的扩散格局。研究生成的连通性矩阵（connectivity matrices）被整合至集合种群模型（metapopulation model）中，用于对比不同轴孔珊瑚种群修复策略的实施效果。本研究发现，佛罗里达珊瑚礁海域在历史上曾是连通性良好的生态系统，且空间选择性修复策略或可有效促进其自然恢复。轴孔珊瑚幼虫主要沿佛罗里达珊瑚礁海域向北输运，但在潮汐与斜压涡旋（baroclinic eddies）的驱动下，同样存在南向输运现象。对于开放式产卵型珊瑚而言，局域滞留与自主补充过程表现显著……