Coral reefs are in global decline. Reversing this trend is a primary management objective but doing so depends on understanding what keeps reefs in desirable states (ie “functional”). Although there is evidence that coral reefs thrive under certain conditions (eg moderate water temperatures, limited fishing pressure), the dynamic processes that promote ecosystem functioning and its internal drivers (ie community structure) are poorly defined and explored. Specifically, despite decades of research suggesting a positive relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across biomes, few studies have explored this relationship in coral reef systems. We propose a practical definition of coral reef functioning, centered on eight complementary ecological processes: calcium carbonate production and bioerosion, primary production and herbivory, secondary production and predation, and nutrient uptake and release. Connecting research on species niches, functional diversity of communities, and rates of the eight key processes can provide a novel, quantitative understanding of reef functioning and its dependence on coral reef communities that will chart the transition of coral reefs in the Anthropocene. This will contribute urgently needed guidance for the management of these important ecosystems.

中文翻译：

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珊瑚礁生态系统功能：八个核心过程和生物多样性的作用

珊瑚礁正在全球衰退。扭转这一趋势是一个主要的管理目标，但这样做取决于了解什么使珊瑚礁保持理想状态（即“功能性”）。尽管有证据表明珊瑚礁在某些条件下（例如适中的水温、有限的捕捞压力）能够茁壮成长，但对促进生态系统功能及其内部驱动因素（即群落结构）的动态过程的定义和探索尚不明确。具体而言，尽管数十年的研究表明生物多样性与生态系统功能之间存在正相关关系，但很少有研究在珊瑚礁系统中探索这种关系。我们提出了珊瑚礁功能的实用定义，以八个互补的生态过程为中心：碳酸钙生产和生物侵蚀、初级生产和食草动物、二次生产和捕食，以及养分的吸收和释放。将物种生态位、群落功能多样性和八个关键过程的速率相关联的研究可以提供对珊瑚礁功能及其对珊瑚礁群落的依赖的新颖、定量的理解，这将绘制出人类世珊瑚礁的转变。这将为管理这些重要生态系统提供急需的指导。