Nature Communications上發(fā)表的一篇論文報告說，旨在逆轉當前森林砍伐趨勢的保護項目也可能有利于近岸珊瑚礁生態(tài)系統(tǒng)。這項工作表明,，區(qū)域土地利用管理對于減少馬達加斯加島上的珊瑚礁沉積來說要比起促成作用的氣候變化更重要,。
河流上游的森林覆蓋已知會影響被沖到海邊的沉積物。近岸珊瑚礁系統(tǒng),，如馬達加斯加島上的那些近岸珊瑚礁系統(tǒng),，所接受的沉積物供應量正在增加，原因是森林被轉化成了其他土地利用形式,。Joseph Maina及其同事就一系列未來氣候變化預測和土地利用變化情景對與馬達加斯加島上的主要珊瑚礁生態(tài)系統(tǒng)相聯系的四個流域中的河道水流和沉積物供應進行了模擬,。他們發(fā)現，河流上游森林砍伐的影響超過了氣候變化的不利影響（如氣溫的升高）,。他們提出,，用在解決森林砍伐的環(huán)境問題上的資源因此也可能有助于保護沿海地區(qū)的珊瑚礁生態(tài)系統(tǒng)。（生物谷Bioon.com）
Nature Communications, DOI:10.1038/ncomms2986
Human deforestation outweighs future climate change impacts of sedimentation on coral reefs
Joseph Maina,Hans de Moel,Jens Zinke,Joshua Madin,Tim McClanahan& Jan E. Vermaat
Near-shore coral reef systems are experiencing increased sediment supply due to conversion of forests to other land uses. Counteracting increased sediment loads requires an understanding of the relationship between forest cover and sediment supply, and how this relationship might change in the future. Here we study this relationship by simulating river flow and sediment supply in four watersheds that are adjacent to Madagascar’s major coral reef ecosystems for a range of future climate change projections and land-use change scenarios. We show that by 2090, all four watersheds are predicted to experience temperature increases and/or precipitation declines that, when combined, result in decreases in river flow and sediment load. However, these climate change-driven declines are outweighed by the impact of deforestation. Consequently, our analyses suggest that regional land-use management is more important than mediating climate change for influencing sedimentation of Malagasy coral reefs.
