珊瑚礁生态系统最基本的生态特征是虫黄藻与珊瑚虫的共生,虫黄藻的光合作用在珊瑚礁生态系统中发挥着重要作用,因此用于测定植物光合作用的叶绿素荧光技术在认识珊瑚礁生态系统中得到越来越广泛的应用。应用方面主要包括:①揭示珊瑚共生藻光生理学原理;②探索珊瑚白化的机制;③监测及预警珊瑚白化事件;④研究珊瑚对污染的响应;⑤监测珊瑚对水体浑浊的响应;⑥探寻珊瑚礁生态模式。叶绿素荧光技术具有快速、灵敏和非破坏性测量等优点,在造礁珊瑚生理生态研究方面将有广阔的应用前景。
Mutualism between corals and their zooxanthellae is the essential feature of reef formation.Through performing photosynthesis,zooxanthellae nourish the host coral as well as help it deposit its skeleton.Thus,the chlorophyll fluorescence technique,previously being used in the study of photosynthesis of plants,including algae,can shed light on the research of coral reefs,and has been widely spread in the field.Its application contains several aspects:revealing of photophysiology principles of symbiont dinoflagelates,explanation of the machanism of coral bleaching,early warning of coral bleaching,monitoring the responses of coral to pollutions,monitoring the effects of turbidity to coral growth,and exploring the ecological pattern of coral reef.PAM fluorometry has good potential for such applications,as fluorescence yield is a sensitive,non-invasive indicator of sublethal stress.Therefore,the study of physiological ecology of scleractinian corals may be more effective in the aid of chlorophyll fluorescence technique.