中光层珊瑚礁生态系统的研究现状与发展趋势

doi:10.11978/YG2025011

摘要/Abstract

摘要： 中光层珊瑚礁生态系统(mesophotic coral ecosystems, MCEs)特指分布于海洋中30~150m深度范围内的珊瑚礁生态系统。MCEs作为全球海洋生物多样性最丰富的栖息地之一, 不仅是新物种、新基因库、新天然产物和药物的发现地, 也是渔业资源的重要涵养地, 已被列为全球海洋保护研究的热点和优先关注区域。受水肺潜水深度限制及无人遥控潜水器(remotely operated vehicles, ROV)、自主式水下航行器(autonomous underwater vehicles, AUV)等深水观测技术应用不足的影响, 中光层珊瑚礁生态系统的研究长期滞后于浅层珊瑚礁生态系统的研究。当前, 关于中光层珊瑚礁在气候变化背景下能否作为浅层珊瑚有效"避难所"的假说 (deep reef refugia hypothesis, DRRH), 科学界仍存在争议。本研究采用CiteSpace和VOSviewer等计量分析工具, 以2005—2024年间Web of Science数据库收录的文献作为分析样本, 对MCEs领域的研究现状与热点主题进行了系统分析, 并对其发展趋势进行了展望, 建议未来从科学与技术融合、定性评估与定量研究相结合以及多学科交叉三个维度着手, 关注中光层珊瑚营养策略的多样性与可塑性, 阐明营养可塑性对其生态适应性的调控作用, 深化对MCEs生态韧性阈值与适应潜力的理解, 进而为预测MECs在气候变化下的响应与韧性提供理论依据。

关键词: 中光层珊瑚礁, 珊瑚礁, 文献计量, 多样性深度分布, 珊瑚-虫黄藻

Abstract: Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) specifically refer to coral reef ecosystems distributed in the ocean at depths ranging from 30 to 150 meters. As one of the habitats with the richest marine biodiversity globally, MCEs not only serve as hotspots for the discovery of new species, genetic resources, natural products, and pharmaceuticals but also function as critical nurseries for fishery resources. Consequently, they have been identified as a research focus and priority area in global marine conservation. The research on MCEs has long lagged behind that on shallow-water coral reefs, primarily due to the depth limitations of scuba diving and the insufficient application of deep-water observation technologies such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). Currently, the scientific community remains divided on the hypothesis that mesophotic coral reefs can serve as effective "refugia" for shallow-water corals in the context of climate change, the deep reef refugia hypothesis (DRRH). In this study, bibliometric analysis tools including CiteSpace and VOSviewer were employed, with literature indexed in the Web of Science database from 2005 to 2024 as the analytical sample. A systematic analysis was conducted on the current research status and hot topics in the field of MCEs, followed by an outlook on its development trends. It is proposed that future research should proceed from three dimensions, integration of science and technology, combination of qualitative assessment and quantitative research, and interdisciplinary cooperation, to understand the diversity and plasticity of nutritional strategies in mesophotic corals, to explore the co-adaptive strategy of mesophotic coral-zooxanthellae, to deepen the understanding of the ecological resilience thresholds and adaptive potential of MCEs. This will provide a theoretical basis for predicting the response and resilience of MCEs under climate change.

Key words: Mesophotic coral, mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs): coral reef, bibliometrics, biodiversity, depth diversity, coral-zooxanthellae

王晓雪, 费星怡, 王伟权, 汤开浩. 中光层珊瑚礁生态系统的研究现状与发展趋势[J]. 热带海洋学报, 0, (): 2025011-2025011.

WANG Xiaoxue, FEI Xingyi, WANG Weiquan, TANG Kaihao. Mesophotic coral ecosystems: current understanding and future directions[J]. Journal of Tropical Oceanography, 0, (): 2025011-2025011.

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