Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2022, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (1): 15-27.doi: 10.11978/2020156CSTR: 32234.14.2020156

• Marine Biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Analysis of ecological carrying capacity of reef organisms in Qilianyu Islands based on Ecopath model

HONG Xiaofan1,2,3(), CHEN Zuozhi1,2(), ZHANG Jun1,2, JIANG Yan’e1,2, GONG Yuyan1,2, CAI Yancong1,2, YANG Yutao1,2   

  1. 1. South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Key Laboratory of Offshore Fisheries Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou 510300, China
    2. Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
    3. College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
  • Received:2020-12-30 Revised:2021-04-15 Online:2022-01-10 Published:2021-04-22
  • Contact: CHEN Zuozhi E-mail:jyhdhkhxf@163.com;zzchen2000@163.com
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFC1406502);National Natural Science Foundation of China(31902374);Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)(GML2019ZD0605);Major Projects of Basic and Applied Basic Research Programs in Guangdong Province(2019B030302004);Special Scientific Research Funds for Central Non-profit Institutes of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences(2020TD05)

Abstract:

Ecological carrying capacity assessment is the basis and premise for reef organisms of maintaining the health of coral reef ecosystem. Based on the survey data of the fishery resources and ecological environment in 2019, we developed an Ecopath model of the Qilianyu Islands coral reef ecosystem in the South China Sea. The ecological carrying capacities of some functional groups were analyzed by using the Ecopath model. The results show that the coral reef ecosystem was dominated by the grazing pathway, and the proportion of total energy flow originating from primary producers was 57%. Overall, the ratio of total primary productivity to total respiration was 2.54, and the ratio of total primary productivity to total biomass was 19.07. The connectance index and system omnivory index were 0.35 and 0.18, respectively. Outputs of the Ecopath model show that the maturity and stability of the coral reef ecosystem of the Qilianyu Islands were relatively low, and the ecosystem had weak resistance to external disturbances. Under the condition of stable ecosystem construction and sustaining the ecosystem, the ecological carrying capacities of functional groups of coral, bivalve and phytophagous fish were 25.09~53.77 t•km-2, 2.55~39.95 t•km-2 and 4.89~17.94 t•km-2, respectively; their biomass still has a large growth space. The maximum ecological carrying capacity of coral reef fish communities was closely related to the multiplication of coral reef invertebrate communities. In the future of coral reef fishery management, the system design of stock enhancement should be considered from the perspective of the overall structure of the ecosystem.

Key words: South China Sea, Qilianyu Islands, coral reef, Ecopath model, marine stock enhancement, ecological carrying capacity

CLC Number: 

  • P735.12