全球珊瑚礁正处于持续退化的状态，现在广泛认识到有必要通过减少区域性珊瑚礁退化造成的地方压力以抵消日益增加的全球压力造成的巨大影响。南海西沙群岛珊瑚礁作为“珊瑚礁大三角”重要的组成部分，其各珊瑚礁在近年来的珊瑚礁生态监测调查中呈现出不同程度的退化现象，基于相关生态指标的珊瑚礁退化因素分析有利于掌握珊瑚礁的变化状况以及时恢复管理。本文基于西沙永兴岛现有调查中各项相关生态指标包括珊瑚覆盖率、补充量及白化率等数据进行梳理与统计分析，结果表明：近40年来，西沙永兴岛造礁石珊瑚的退化程度呈现出一个阶段性的变化，1984-2006年呈现良好生长状态，2006-2011年出现急剧退化阶段，2011-2019年开始缓慢恢复，2019-2021年又重新退化，总体表现为“良好生长——急剧退化——缓慢恢复——重新退化”。长棘海星是永兴岛造礁石珊瑚发生急剧退化阶段的主要控制因素，珊瑚疾病在急剧退化阶段产生了一定程度的影响，人类活动一定程度抑制了珊瑚急剧退化后的迅速恢复，但珊瑚热白化才是其缓慢恢复和后期重新退化的主要控制因素。相比大堡礁造礁石珊瑚急剧退化后迅速恢复的变化状况，永兴岛造礁石珊瑚退化程度更为严重，近10年都呈现低速恢复状态。

Global coral reefs are undergoing continuous degradation, and it is universally acknowledged that alleviating local pressures stemming from regional coral reef degradation is crucial to counteract the substantial impacts of escalating global pressures. The coral reefs of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, a vital component of the “Coral Triangle,” have exhibited varying degrees of degradation in recent years, as revealed by ecological monitoring. Analyzing the factors contributing to coral reef degradation through pertinent ecological indicators is instrumental in comprehending coral reef trends, as well as facilitating their restoration and management. This paper, drawing upon existing surveys of Yongxing Island in the Xisha Islands, examines relevant ecological indicators such as coral cover, replenishment, and bleaching rates. The results indicate that over the past 40 years, the scleractinian corals of Yongxing Island have undergone a phased pattern of degradation: a period of healthy growth from 1984 to 2006, followed by rapid degradation from 2006 to 2011, slow recovery from 2011 to 2019, and renewed degradation from 2019 to 2021. This trend follows a general pattern of “healthy growth - sharp degradation - slow recovery - renewed degradation.” The crown-of-thorns starfish emerges as the primary driver of rapid degradation, with coral diseases exerting a certain influence during this stage. Human activities hinder the swift recovery of corals following rapid degradation to a certain extent, while coral bleaching is the primary factor governing both slow recovery and the later stages of renewed degradation. In comparison to the swift recovery of scleractinian corals in the Great Barrier Reef following its rapid degradation, the scleractinian corals of Yongxing Island have experienced more severe degradation and demonstrated a lower recovery rate over the past decade.