High-latitude coral reef communities have been postulated as the first areas to undergo reorganisation under climate change. Tropicalisation has been identified in some high-latitude communities and is predicted in others, but it is unclear how the resident benthic taxa are affected. We conducted a long-term (2007–2016) assessment of changes to benthic community cover in relation to thermal stress duration on the Southeast Florida Reef Tract (SEFRT). Thermal stress events, both hot and cold, had acute (thermal stress duration affected benthic cover that year) and chronic (thermal stress duration affected benthic cover the following year) impacts on benthic cover. Chronic heat stress was associated with declines in cover of the reef-building coral families Acroporidae, Montastraeidae, Meandrinidae, Mussidae and Siderastreidae, which coupled with the absence of cold stress and rising annual temperatures boosted macroalgae cover. Cover of smaller, weedy coral families, Poritidae, Agariciidae and Astrocoeniidae, was either unaffected or positively related to heat stress duration and rising mean temperature. Thermal stress was related to spatiotemporal variations in benthic cover on the SEFRT, likely enhanced by local stressors, such as elevated nutrients and sedimentation. Coral and octocoral cover declined within four of six sub-regions, sponge cover increased in half of the sub-regions, and macroalgae cover increased in four sub-regions during the study. Under current conditions, increased macroalgae and weedy coral cover are anticipated to inhibit reef recovery.

中文翻译：

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高纬度珊瑚礁底栖群落中热应力相关的时空变化

高纬度珊瑚礁群落被认为是气候变化下最先进行重组的地区。已经在一些高纬度社区确定了热带化，并在其他社区进行了预测，但尚不清楚居民底栖类群如何受到影响。我们进行了一项长期（2007 年至 2016 年）评估底栖群落覆盖变化与佛罗里达东南礁区 (SEFRT) 热应力持续时间相关的变化。热和冷的热应力事件对底栖覆盖物具有急性（热应力持续时间影响当年的底栖覆盖物）和慢性（热应力持续时间影响第二年的底栖生物覆盖物）影响。慢性热应激与造礁珊瑚科 Acroporidae、Montastraeidae、Meandrinidae、Mussidae 和 Siderastreidae 的覆盖率下降有关，再加上没有冷胁迫和每年气温上升，大型藻类覆盖率增加。较小的杂草珊瑚科（Poritidae、Agariciidae 和 Astrocoeniidae）的覆盖率与热应激持续时间和平均温度升高不受影响或呈正相关。热应力与 SEFRT 底栖覆盖物的时空变化有关，可能因局部压力因素而增强，例如营养物质升高和沉积。在研究期间，六个子区域中有四个的珊瑚和八珊瑚覆盖率下降，一半子区域的海绵覆盖率增加，四个子区域的大型藻类覆盖率增加。在目前的条件下，预计大型藻类和杂草珊瑚覆盖的增加会抑制珊瑚礁的恢复。杂草珊瑚科，Poritidae、Agariciidae 和 Astrocoeniidae，与热应激持续时间和平均温度升高不受影响或呈正相关。热应力与 SEFRT 底栖覆盖物的时空变化有关，可能因局部压力因素而增强，例如营养物质升高和沉积。在研究期间，六个子区域中有四个的珊瑚和八珊瑚覆盖率下降，一半子区域的海绵覆盖率增加，四个子区域的大型藻类覆盖率增加。在目前的条件下，预计大型藻类和杂草珊瑚覆盖的增加会抑制珊瑚礁的恢复。杂草珊瑚科，Poritidae、Agariciidae 和 Astrocoeniidae，与热应激持续时间和平均温度升高不受影响或呈正相关。热应力与 SEFRT 底栖覆盖物的时空变化有关，可能因局部压力因素而增强，例如营养物质升高和沉积。在研究期间，六个子区域中有四个的珊瑚和八珊瑚覆盖率下降，一半子区域的海绵覆盖率增加，四个子区域的大型藻类覆盖率增加。在目前的条件下，预计大型藻类和杂草珊瑚覆盖的增加会抑制珊瑚礁的恢复。热应力与 SEFRT 底栖覆盖物的时空变化有关，可能因局部压力因素而增强，例如营养物质升高和沉积。在研究期间，六个子区域中有四个的珊瑚和八珊瑚覆盖率下降，一半子区域的海绵覆盖率增加，四个子区域的大型藻类覆盖率增加。在目前的条件下，预计大型藻类和杂草珊瑚覆盖的增加会抑制珊瑚礁的恢复。热应力与 SEFRT 底栖覆盖物的时空变化有关，可能因局部压力因素而增强，例如营养物质和沉积物升高。在研究期间，六个子区域中有四个的珊瑚和八珊瑚覆盖率下降，一半子区域的海绵覆盖率增加，四个子区域的大型藻类覆盖率增加。在目前的条件下，预计大型藻类和杂草珊瑚覆盖的增加会抑制珊瑚礁的恢复。