The status of coral reefs is often portrayed by parameters (e.g., coverage, bleaching, diseases, nutrients and rugosity) assigned to adult populations. Yet, coral recruitment is essential for sustaining coral populations, especially in the aftermath of major disturbances. Studying earliest coral recruitment at species level can reveal declines in the recovery potential and resilience of coral populations and communities, even if adult abundance and coral cover is sustained. Rates of coral recruitment were quantified once a month for 4 yrs from tiles and stones (Eilat, Red Sea), revealing a dramatic discrepancy in coral species recruited (n = 15) compared to adult-species currently on site (n = 55), with 1–2 dominant species accounting for ≥ 80% of recruits. The low rates and limited diversity of settling corals recorded in this study appear unlikely to sustain contemporary coral assemblages, so unless there are marked changes in the settlement dynamics, we would expect to see inevitable declines in the abundance and diversity of reef corals at these locations.

中文翻译：

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红海埃拉特绝大多数珊瑚物种的招募失败

珊瑚礁的状况通常由分配给成年人群的参数（例如，覆盖率、白化、疾病、营养和粗糙程度）来描述。然而，珊瑚补充对于维持珊瑚种群至关重要，尤其是在重大干扰之后。在物种水平上研究最早的珊瑚补充可以揭示珊瑚种群和群落的恢复潜力和恢复力的下降，即使成虫丰度和珊瑚覆盖率得以维持。从瓷砖和石头（埃拉特，红海）每月一次对珊瑚补充率进行量化，揭示了招募的珊瑚物种（n = 15）与目前现场的成年物种（n = 55）相比存在巨大差异， 1-2 种优势种占新兵的 80% 以上。