微孔珊瑚是印度-太平洋島礁中常見的團塊形大珊瑚，在現在的研究中對於其機制的形成之驗證很少。我觀察到在東沙環礁的微孔珊瑚（Porites spp.）於海草床、塊礁棲所中，尺寸相較其他珊瑚大，但航道口及外環礁時此現象則消失。此外在不同棲所下微孔珊瑚尺寸亦有明顯差異。我將要回答的問題有兩個：（1）為什麼在海草床的微孔珊瑚比其他團塊形珊瑚來得大？提出六個假說：長得快、低死亡率、二次拓殖、最早到、數量多及競爭力強假說。目前結果支持微孔珊瑚生長速率快於其他種珊瑚，但卻沒辦法以生長速率完全解釋尺寸上的差異；以及支持二次拓殖假說；否定低死亡率、最早到、數量多和競爭力強假說。（2）為什麼微孔珊瑚在棲所間尺寸有差異？提出三個假說：長得快、穩定棲所和珊瑚間競爭壓力少假說，目前結果三個假說都被支持。結論為，海草床是高沉積物、溫度變化大的環境，但因微孔珊瑚本身特性有排沉積物能力，及較耐環境高溫特性，能使微孔珊瑚能以二次拓殖的生活方式在沙質底上存活，但其他珊瑚不行，加上生長素率略快於其他種珊瑚，所以能在海草床觀察到有大尺寸微孔珊瑚的現象。微孔珊瑚會在波浪干擾小以及競爭壓力小的棲所長得比較大，然而在波浪大且競爭壓力大的棲所則找不到大尺寸的微孔珊瑚。

Massive poritids often reached very large colony sizes in many Pacific reefs. A few hypotheses have been proposed and tested in this on-going study. I observed that the massive Porites spp indeed reached largest colony sizes at Dongsha Atoll; within habitats, however, the same is true only in seagrass beds, patch reefs and channels, but not in fore reefs. I mentioned two questions: (1) how come massive Porites could reach large sizes in seagrass beds while the other massive corals could not? I proposed six hypotheses to test the mechanisms causing the difference of colony sizes between species, i.e., faster extension rates, lower mortality rates, earlier colonization, secondary colonization, high abundance, and superior competitivity. The results suggest that the extension-rate hypothesis contributed but could not fully explain the differences in colony sizes among species and the other hypothesis is secondary colonization. Reject lower mortality rates, earlier colonization, high abundance, and superior competitivity. (2) how come Porites differ in size among habitats? There are three hypotheses to test faster extension rates, stable habitats and lower competition pressure and they are supported currently. In summary, the environments of seagrass beds are high sediments and highly varied in temperature and Porites can remove the sediments and endure temperature so that exist in secondary colonization way, living on the sands. The other corals can’t live when removing from the sands. Moreover, the extension rates of Porites are faster than the others so we can observe the larger colony sizes of Porites in the seagrass beds. Also, larger Porites exist in the low distributions and less competition pressure environments, conversely not.

論文審定書……………………………………………………….………………………………………………………i
誌謝……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…ii
中文摘要…………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………..iii
英文摘要………………………………………..…………………………………………………...…………………iv
前言…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1
研究方法………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………10
實驗結果………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………13
討論………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………..…….17
參考文獻………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….…….28

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