Suitable Environmental Ranges for Potential Coral Reef Habitats in the Tropical Ocean

摘要: Coral reefs are found within a limited range of environmental conditions or tolerance limits. Estimating these limits is critical prerequisite for understanding the impacts climate change on biogeography coral reefs. Here we used diagnostic model ReefHab to determine current and global distribution potential reef habitats as function six factors: temperature, salinity, nitrate, phosphate, aragonite saturation state, light. To limits, extracted maximum minimum values all variables in corresponding locations where present. We that global, annually averaged 21.7—29.6 °C 28.7—40.4 psu 4.51 μmol L-1 0.63 2.82 state. The light intensity 450 photons m-2 s-1. area calculated by 330.5 × 103 km2. Compared with previous studies, nutrients have not changed much, whereas value waters has decreased from 3.28 2.82. habitat about 121×103 km2 larger than estimated charted reefs, suggesting growth higher currently observed.