How coral reefs with high productivity and biodiversity can flourish in oligotrophic tropical oceans has inspired substantial research on coral reef ecosystems.Increasing evidence shows that similar to water in an oas...How coral reefs with high productivity and biodiversity can flourish in oligotrophic tropical oceans has inspired substantial research on coral reef ecosystems.Increasing evidence shows that similar to water in an oasis in the desert,there are stable nutrient supplies to coral reefs in oligotrophic oceans.Here,with emphasis on the fluxes of organic matter,we summarize at the ecosystem level(1)the multiple input pathways of external nutrients,(2)the storage of nutrients in reef organisms,(3)the efficient retaining and recycling of dissolved and particulate organic matter within coral reef ecosystems,(4)the distinctly high phytoplankton productivity and biomass inside and near oceanic coral reefs,and(5)the export of reef-related organic carbon to adjacent open oceans.These properties enable coral reefs to function as ecological“pumps”for gathering nutrients across ecosystems and space,retaining and recycling nutrients within the ecosystem,supporting high phytoplankton productivity,and exporting organic carbon to adjacent open oceans.Particularly,the high phytoplankton productivity and biomass make waters around coral reefs potential hotspots of carbon export to ocean depths via the biological pump.We demonstrate that organic carbon influx is vital for coral reef ecosystems’carbon budget and carbon export.The concept of the coral reef ecological pump provides a framework to improve the understanding of the functioning of the coral reef ecosystem and its responses to disturbance.Prospects of the coral reef ecological pump in coral reef studies are discussed in changing oceans driven by human activities and global change in the Anthropocene.展开更多
Marine protected areas(MPAs)play a critical role in maintaining marine ecosystem health,conserving biodiversity,and sustaining coastal livelihoods and socio-economic benefits.However,MPAs in China still face significa...Marine protected areas(MPAs)play a critical role in maintaining marine ecosystem health,conserving biodiversity,and sustaining coastal livelihoods and socio-economic benefits.However,MPAs in China still face significant design and management limitations,including a lack of a robust scientific basis for boundary delineation,weak enforcement capacity,poor adaptability to environmental and socio-economic changes,and insufficient integration of the ocean’s three-dimensional characteristics.These limitations are particularly evident in the context of climate change,overexploitation of marine resources,and the complex dynamics of ecosystems.This study systematically reviews the current status and challenges of MPAs in China,with a specific focus on the need for and benefits of dynamic and threedimensional protected areas for marine conservation.Dynamic protected areas,supported by real-time monitoring and flexible boundary adjustments,can more effectively respond to the migratory patterns of marine species and seasonal distribution shifts along China’s coast.On the other hand,three-dimensional protected areas enhance ecosystem protection by incorporating vertical ecological gradients and ocean depth,offering a vital complement to the predominantly two-dimensional protection approach currently in use.The study indicates that,with current technological and data capabilities,effective implementation of these advanced approaches requires precision marine observations,advanced analysis methods,and coordinated efforts among diverse stakeholders.In response,the study synthesizes multiple case studies to illustrate the potential ecological,managerial,and policy-related outcomes of dynamic and three-dimensional MPAs.It proposes strategies for optimization,implementation pathways,and targeted policy recommendations.Ultimately,the study emphasizes the critical role of scientific planning and technological innovation in enhancing the effectiveness of MPAs in China.It calls upon policymakers and the broader society to increase attention and investment in dynamic and three-dimensional marine conservation approaches.This work not only provides a scientific foundation for more precise and efficient marine governance in China,but also lays crucial foundation for achieving ocean-related sustainable development goals aligned with China’s national context.展开更多
基金The Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) under contract No.GML2019ZD0405the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos41506150 and 41130855+3 种基金the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation under contract No.2019A1515011645the National Science and Technology Basic Work Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China under contract No.2015FY110600the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province,China under contract No.2020B1212060058the Development Fund of South China Sea Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under contract No.SCSIO202204。
文摘How coral reefs with high productivity and biodiversity can flourish in oligotrophic tropical oceans has inspired substantial research on coral reef ecosystems.Increasing evidence shows that similar to water in an oasis in the desert,there are stable nutrient supplies to coral reefs in oligotrophic oceans.Here,with emphasis on the fluxes of organic matter,we summarize at the ecosystem level(1)the multiple input pathways of external nutrients,(2)the storage of nutrients in reef organisms,(3)the efficient retaining and recycling of dissolved and particulate organic matter within coral reef ecosystems,(4)the distinctly high phytoplankton productivity and biomass inside and near oceanic coral reefs,and(5)the export of reef-related organic carbon to adjacent open oceans.These properties enable coral reefs to function as ecological“pumps”for gathering nutrients across ecosystems and space,retaining and recycling nutrients within the ecosystem,supporting high phytoplankton productivity,and exporting organic carbon to adjacent open oceans.Particularly,the high phytoplankton productivity and biomass make waters around coral reefs potential hotspots of carbon export to ocean depths via the biological pump.We demonstrate that organic carbon influx is vital for coral reef ecosystems’carbon budget and carbon export.The concept of the coral reef ecological pump provides a framework to improve the understanding of the functioning of the coral reef ecosystem and its responses to disturbance.Prospects of the coral reef ecological pump in coral reef studies are discussed in changing oceans driven by human activities and global change in the Anthropocene.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.42176173.
文摘Marine protected areas(MPAs)play a critical role in maintaining marine ecosystem health,conserving biodiversity,and sustaining coastal livelihoods and socio-economic benefits.However,MPAs in China still face significant design and management limitations,including a lack of a robust scientific basis for boundary delineation,weak enforcement capacity,poor adaptability to environmental and socio-economic changes,and insufficient integration of the ocean’s three-dimensional characteristics.These limitations are particularly evident in the context of climate change,overexploitation of marine resources,and the complex dynamics of ecosystems.This study systematically reviews the current status and challenges of MPAs in China,with a specific focus on the need for and benefits of dynamic and threedimensional protected areas for marine conservation.Dynamic protected areas,supported by real-time monitoring and flexible boundary adjustments,can more effectively respond to the migratory patterns of marine species and seasonal distribution shifts along China’s coast.On the other hand,three-dimensional protected areas enhance ecosystem protection by incorporating vertical ecological gradients and ocean depth,offering a vital complement to the predominantly two-dimensional protection approach currently in use.The study indicates that,with current technological and data capabilities,effective implementation of these advanced approaches requires precision marine observations,advanced analysis methods,and coordinated efforts among diverse stakeholders.In response,the study synthesizes multiple case studies to illustrate the potential ecological,managerial,and policy-related outcomes of dynamic and three-dimensional MPAs.It proposes strategies for optimization,implementation pathways,and targeted policy recommendations.Ultimately,the study emphasizes the critical role of scientific planning and technological innovation in enhancing the effectiveness of MPAs in China.It calls upon policymakers and the broader society to increase attention and investment in dynamic and three-dimensional marine conservation approaches.This work not only provides a scientific foundation for more precise and efficient marine governance in China,but also lays crucial foundation for achieving ocean-related sustainable development goals aligned with China’s national context.
