The capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services is widely recognized, but this ability depends on continued carbonate production within the coral community. The Islas Marías archipelago (21° 29.5′ N–106° 15′ W) is subject to minimal anthropic pressures. This archipelago serves as a model to study the influence of environmental variables [e.g., sea surface temperature (SST), upwelling periods, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, and pH] on the structure of the coral community. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth parameters, ecological volume, and CaCO₃ production of Pocillopora corals, which comprise the dominant genus in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). During an annual period (2016–2017), 10 colonies were stained with alizarin red and height, major diameter, and minor diameter measurements were recorded. Live coral cover, the annual extension rate (cm/year), skeletal density (g/cm³), the calcification rate (g/cm² year⁻¹), ecological volume (cm⁻³), and carbonate production (kg m⁻² year⁻¹) were also calculated. The average extension rate (± SD), skeletal density, and the calcification rate were 1.86 ± 0.31 cm/year, 2.28 ± 0.34 g CaCO₃ cm⁻³, and 4.34 ± 1.28 g CaCO₃ cm⁻² year⁻¹, respectively. The average live coral coverage was 3.19 ± 3.17%, and the relative cover of Pocillopora corals was 65%. Ecological volume increased 140.6 ± 84.28% with respect to the initial volume, and the average production of CaCO₃ was 0.46 ± 0.41 kg CaCO₃ m⁻² year⁻¹. This study shows evidence of low growth rates, low generation of three-dimensionality, and low CaCO₃ production in the study area when compared to other sites in the ETP. These results are relevant because they indicate compromised long-term maintenance and reef development in Islas Marías, which may result in low reef functionality and compromise the stability of reef-associated biodiversity and ecosystem services.

中文翻译：

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墨西哥太平洋中部生物圈保护区 Pocillopora 珊瑚的低钙化率、结构复杂性和碳酸钙生产

珊瑚礁提供生态系统服务的能力得到广泛认可，但这种能力取决于珊瑚群落内持续的碳酸盐生产。Islas Marías 群岛（北纬 21° 29.5'– 西经 106° 15'）受到的人为压力极小。该群岛用作研究环境变量 [例如，海面温度 (SST)、上升流时期、厄尔尼诺-南方涛动 (ENSO) 事件和 pH 值] 对珊瑚群落结构的影响的模型。本研究的目的是评估Pocillopora的生长参数、生态体积和 CaCO ₃产量珊瑚，它们构成东热带太平洋 (ETP) 的优势属。在一年期间（2016-2017），10 个菌落被茜素红染色，并记录了高度、大直径和小直径测量值。活珊瑚覆盖度、年延伸率（cm/年）、骨骼密度（g/cm ³）、钙化率（g/cm ² 年^-1）、生态体积（cm ^-3）和碳酸盐产量（kg m ^-2 年^-1 ) 也被计算。平均延伸率 (± SD )、骨骼密度和钙化率分别为 1.86 ± 0.31 cm/年、2.28 ± 0.34 g CaCO ₃ cm ^-3和 4.34 ± 1.28 g CaCO分别为₃ cm ^-2 年^-1。平均活珊瑚覆盖率为 3.19±3.17%，Pocillopora珊瑚的相对覆盖率为 65%。生态体积比初始体积增加了140.6±84.28%，CaCO ₃的平均产量为0.46±0.41 kg CaCO ₃  m ^-2  year ^-1。这项研究显示了低增长率、低三维生成和低 CaCO _{3 的}证据与 ETP 中的其他地点相比，研究区的产量。这些结果是相关的，因为它们表明 Islas Marías 的长期维护和珊瑚礁发展受到损害，这可能导致珊瑚礁功能低下并损害与珊瑚礁相关的生物多样性和生态系统服务的稳定性。